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 August 2025.
Featured Cases
McDougle v. Scott
Virginia Supreme Court, in a split decision, nullified a constitutional amendment approved by voters that would have redrawn the state's congressional districts, finding the legislative process used for the amendment violated the state constitution
Hoke County Board of Education v. State of North Carolina
The North Carolina Supreme Court overturned its own precedent and put an end to more than 30 years of litigation involving the funding of public education in the state
Commonwealth v. Lee
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that mandating a life sentence, without the possibility of parole, for “felony murder” — a legal doctrine that allows someone to be prosecuted for murder for any death that occurs during the commission of a separate felony, even if the defendant never meant to kill anyone — violates the Pennsylvania Constitution’s ban on “cruel” punishments
Sports Medicine Research & Testing Lab. v. Board of Equalization of Salt Lake County
Held that taxpayer's use of facility to perform market-rate testing for professional sports organizations did not serve a charitable purpose and taxpayer was not entitled to tax exemption
State v. King
Held that the constitutional prohibition on pre-submission deliberations by juries does not apply to three judge panels
Gilpin v. Harris
Ruled that victims are entitled to restitution from defendants found "guilty except insane" under Arizona's Victims' Bill of Rights when the defendant's actions cause or threaten death or serious bodily injury
Norwood v. Frame
Held that defendant's sentence of life in prison pursuant to a recidivist statute did not violate constitutional proportionality principles
State v. Case
Ruled that a warrantless entry into the defendant's home was justified under the community caretaker doctrine and did not violate Montana's expanded privacy protections
Layla H v. Virginia
Plaintiffs claim that state’s practice of approving permits for fossil-fuel infrastructure violates substantive due process and public trust rights to natural resources, protected by the state constitution. They claim such practice infringes these rights by contributing to greenhouse-gas pollution and climate change. A trial court dismissed plaintiffs’ complaint, and the intermediate appellate court affirmed on the basis that the plaintiffs lack standing. Finding that there was no reversible error, the Virginia Supreme Court declined to grant review of the appellate court decision.
Gilmore v. Gallego
Held that "release time" provisions contained in city employee union's memorandum-of-understanding were unconstitutional under the state's gift clause
Silver State Hope Fund v. Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
Lower court held that Nevada’s restrictions on Medicaid coverage for abortion violated the state’s equal rights amendment by discriminating on the basis of sex and that, at minimum, strict scrutiny review applies to sex-based classifications under the amendment. The state did not appeal the trial court’s ruling.
Spillane v. Lamont
Held that a statute prospectively eliminating a religious exemption to a vaccination requirement as a condition of public and private school enrollment did not infringe on state constitutional right to a free public school education
R.W. v. Dept. of Education and T.G.A. v. Dept. of Education
Will consider whether a law that requires the state to publicize suspensions of teachers who are charged with serious crimes, requires removal of references to those suspensions -- or whether due process principles in the Pennsylvania Constitution do -- if those charges are subsequently resolved in the educators' favor.
