State Case Database
Search State Court Report's database of significant state supreme court decisions and pending cases. Download decisions and briefs for cases that develop state constitutional law. This is a selected database and does not include every state supreme court case. See methodology and "How to Use the State Case Database" for more information.
This database is updated monthly, although individual cases may be updated more frequently. Last updated comprehensively with cases decided through May 2025.
Featured Cases
Access Independent Health Services v. Wrigley
North Dakota Supreme Court upheld state's abortion ban despite three of five justices concluding a health-risk exception was unconstitutionally vague, because the state constitution requires four justices to declare legislation unconstitutional
Clarke v. Town of Newburgh
New York Court of Appeals held local government could not assert state or federal equal protection challenge to the vote dilution provision of the state's Voting Rights Act
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court sent partisan gerrymandering case back to lower court to consider whether the legislature violated voters' fundamental right to "reform or alter" their government when it overturned redistricting reforms passed by initiative. Lower court found legislators violated that right and struck the current congressional map, adopting an alternative proposed by the plaintiffs
In re Dallas County
Upheld, in a unanimous opinion, a 2023 law creating a new court of appeals that has exclusive statewide jurisdiction over intermediate appeals in most matters brought against the state and challenges to a state law’s constitutionality when the attorney general is a party.
People v. Neilly
Held that defendants who are convicted but have been given reprieve from life-without-parole sentences because their crimes were committed as teenagers can still be required to pay restitution costs.
Borgelt v. Austin Firefighters Association
Held that provision of collective bargaining agreement authorizing union members to conduct certain union-related activities does not violate the state constitution's Gift Clause
State v. Bauler
Plurality holds that the state constitution's search and seizure provision was not violated when a K-9 handler and his trained canine momentarily made contact with the exterior of a vehicle during a dog sniff
Askew v. City of Kinston
Held that plaintiffs bringing direct actions under the state constitution are not required to exhaust administrative remedies before filing suit.
State v. White
Ruled that the state constitution's confrontation clause requires two-way visibility between the accused and witnesses during testimony.
In re Harris
Held that a judge may consider proffered inadmissible evidence to support denial of bail without violating due process principles so long as the evidence is reliable
Surface Water Use Permit Applications
Vacated the Water Commission’s decision regarding interim instream flow standards for failure to comply with the state constitution's public trust doctrine and remanded for further proceedings.
Hodes & Nauser v. Kobach; Hodes & Nauser v. Stanek
Affirmed district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of health care providers and said that a near-total ban on a common method of second trimester abortion, called a dilation and evacuation, violated the section 1 of the Kansas Constitution Bill of Rights, which protects a right to personal autonomy. In a second opinion, applying strict scrutiny, found unconstitutional additional licensing requirements for physicians who provide abortions than required for other providers.
In re State
Granted motion for temporary injunction, prohibiting the County’s plan to use federal funds for $500 monthly cash payments to residents because it could violate the state constitution's prohibition on gratuitous payments
