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 June 2025.
Featured Cases
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court dismissed legislators' appeal from trial court ruling that struck the state's congressional map. Lower court said law the map was enacted under violated a fundamental right of voters to alter or reform their government — recognized by the Utah high court earlier in the case — by repealing a redistricting-reform initiative, and subsequently adopted plaintiffs' proposed alternative map
Commonwealth v. Council for Better Education; LaFontaine v. Council for Better Education
Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a law providing for charter schools funds education outside the “system of common schools,” in violation of clauses requiring the legislature to establish such a system and voters to approve such funding
McDougle v. Nardo
Virginia Supreme Court permitted legislature's proposed amendment to redraw the state’s congressional map to proceed to a vote, while it considers appeal of trial court decision finding the legislative process unconstitutional
T.F. and B.F. v. Kettle Moraine School District
Trial court held that district's policy of permitting and affirming student requests to transition to a different gender identity at school, without parental consent, violates parents' fundamental due process right to make healthcare decisions for their children. Court relied on expert testimony that living a "double life" with different gender identities at home and at school is "'inherently psychologically unhealthy'" for children.
Held v. Montana
Held that Montana’s policy of excluding greenhouse gas emissions and related climate impacts from environmental reviews of fossil fuel projects violated the state constitution’s guarantee of a clean and healthful environment.
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
Commonwealth v. Lee
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will decide whether 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 or the federal Eighth Amendment.
State v. Autele
Held that trial courts have discretion to determine whether the state constitutional right to be represented by retained counsel of choice is outweighed by other considerations, including ethical requirements or the potential for undue delay and disruption of trial
Bienvenu v. Defendant 1
Vacated prior ruling and held that a statute, which retroactively revived certain prescribed child sex abuse claims for limited three-year period, did not conflict with state constitutional substantive due process protection against disturbing vested rights
Roman Realty, LLC v. The City of Morgantown
Ruled that the state constitution's takings clause does not require an eminent domain proceeding be initiated to ascertain just compensation, merely that just compensation must be paid
State v. Barr
Held that the mandatory consecutive sentence requirement in the Idaho Code did not violate the separation of powers provision of the Idaho Constitution
