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 February 2025.
Featured Cases
LeMieux v. Evers
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will address the scope of Gov. Tony Evers’s state constitutional authority to approve spending bills passed by the legislature only “in part,” by line-item vetoing other parts.
People v. Taylor; People v. Czarnecki
Michigan Supreme Court held that mandatory life-without-parole sentences violate the state constitution’s protection against “cruel or unusual” punishment for anyone under age 21 at the time of the offense. The decision extends the court’s 2022 ruling in People v. Parks that such sentences are unconstitutional for those 18 or under.
N'Da v. Hybl
Nebraska Supreme Court held that statutory requirement that applicant seeking certificate to provide nonemergency medical transport must show the proposed service is required by "public convenience and necessity" does not facially violate state constitutional due process or bans on "special laws" or laws granting "special privileges and immunities." Also held that that the Nebraska Constitution's due process and equal protection clauses are coextensive with their federal equivalents, so federal rational basis review applies to substantive due process challenges to economic regulations, not the heightened standard the court had applied in a line of cases from the early 20th century.
People v. Smith
Ruled that a court may not treat an offense as a 'capital offense' for the purposes of setting bail if the general assembly has abolished the death penalty for that offense
State ex rel. One Person One Vote v. LaRose
Ruled that legislature was constitutionally authorized to prescribe a special election on a specific date by joint resolution on a proposed constitutional amendment, overriding election statute prohibiting otherwise
Portugal v. Franklin County
Ruled that the Washington Voting Rights Act was valid and constitutional on its face
Conservation Commission v. Bailey
Held that legislature lacked authority to restrict Conservation Commission from using funds for constitutionally enumerated purposes, thus violating separation of powers principles
State v. Hamby
Ruled that there was no violation of unanimous jury verdict rule despite alleged flaws in jury instructions, as nature of evidence abated risk that jury did not “substantially agree” to acts described in instructions
Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association v. NYS Department of Transportation
Ruled that regulation authorizing roadside inspection of a commercial vehicle’s electronic logging device data fell within the administrative search exception to the warrant requirement
Berkson v. State ex rel. Askins
Ruled statute requiring court to collect fees for a lengthy trial fund from attorneys who file civil actions was not an unconstitutionally prohibited "special law"
The State ex rel. One Person One Vote v. Ohio Ballot Board
Held that language of proposed amendment seeking to make it harder to amend state constitution via initiative petition was partly misleading, and thus remanded to ballot board for revision
Planned Parenthood of Heartland, Inc. v. Reynolds
Issued a split opinion as to the constitutionality of abortion ban, leaving in place lower court decision
A.B. v. S.U.
Ruled that a statute reviving an otherwise time-barred claim of child sexual abuse did not violate state equivalent to due process
