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
Sitka Tribe of Alaska v. State
Held that constitution does not require the Department of Fish and Game to provide all relevant information to the Board of Fisheries as it determines fishery policy
Everhart v. Coshocton County Memorial Hospital
Dissent would have held that prohibiting wrongful death suits because the statute of repose runs before the patient dies violates the constitution's open courts provision
Belser v. Blount County
Held that whether the legislature conducted its internal voting proceedings in compliance with the state constitution is a nonjusticiable political question
Kell v. State
Ruled that defendant failed to demonstrate that dismissing a petition for post-conviction relief filed five years after the discovery of the evidence violates the state constitution
State v. Wilcox
Held that seizure of defendant’s backpack, incident to seizure of the defendant under non-criminal public intoxication law, was an administrative seizure
Commonwealth v. Mattis
Held that life without parole sentences are unconstitutional as applied to emerging adults (ages 18-20)
Deo v. Parish
Held that state courts have subject matter jurisdiction in criminal cases against an indigenous person in “Indian Country” and defendants must object based on personal and territorial jurisdiction
Antero Treatment LLC v. Veolia Water Technologies
Held that statutory bond cap that supersedes court rule setting bond as a percentage of the judgment does not infringe on supreme court's rulemaking authority
In re: Legislator Interest in State Contracts
South Dakota Supreme Court issued advisory opinion at Governor's request, clarifying the breadth of a constitutional prohibition on state legislators having an interest in state contracts
Planned Parenthood v. Florida
Held that the state's abortion restrictions do not violate the constitution’s right to privacy
