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 2024.
Featured Cases
Genser v. Butler County Board of Elections
Held citizens whose mail-in ballots were disqualified for a failure to return them in the required secrecy envelope have a right to cast a provisional ballot and have it count.
Gonzalez v. Miller
Unanimously affirmed the denial of a district attorney’s effort to dismiss a state Open Records Act request relating to her office’s “failure . . . to effectively prosecute criminal cases, and an open disregard for the laws of the State of Georgia"
Republican National Committee v. Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc
The Georgia Supreme Court left in place a lower court ruling that several controversial new election rules are “illegal, unconstitutional, and void.” The rules would have made election certification discretionary, required hand-counting the number of ballots, made drop boxes harder to use, and expanded the role of poll watchers. The appeal will proceed on a normal schedule, which means the state supreme court will fully consider the challenge against the rules over the next few months.
The Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity v. Dickson
Ruled that statements allegedly defaming abortions rights group were protected opinion about abortion law made in pursuit of changing that law, and were protected speech
State v. Murphy
Ruled that while defendant had a legitimate privacy interest in his real-time cell site location information, police's warrantless ping was justified by exigent circumstances
Virlar v. Puente
Ruled that statute reducing plaintiff’s award of damages by settlement amount received by plaintiff’s daughter did not violate state constitution’s Open Courts provision
People v. Brown
Held that off-the-record juror challenges at sidebar conferences without defendant did not violate defendant’s constitutional right to be present at all stages of the criminal proceedings
Schroeder v. Simon
Ruled constitution’s prohibition on voting by a person convicted of felony did not automatically restore right upon release, statute restoring the right upon sentence discharge did not violate right to vote or equal protection
MeGee v. El Patio, LLC
Dissent would have held that the state constitution imposes a duty on a liquor licensee to refrain from selling or furnishing alcohol to an intoxicated person
Washington Food Industry Association v. City of Seattle
Allowed challenge to law granting hazard pay to food delivery workers during the pandemic to move forward under takings, contract clause, and police powers claims
Ferry v. City of Montpelier
Ruled that a statute allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections did not violate the state constitution's voter eligibility provisions
In re New Hampshire Divison for Children, Youth & Families
Ruled that tolling provision must be read into statute of limitations of law governing tort claims against state agencies so as to comport with constitution’s equal protection guarantees to child plaintiffs
Camden County v. Sweatt
Ruled that electors’ referendum to repeal county resolutions to purchase property was constitutionally authorized under home rule provisions
