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
Usachenok v. Department of the Treasury
Held that the confidentiality directive in regulation applicable to harassment and discrimination investigations in state workplaces was constitutionally overbroad under New Jersey's affirmative right to speak freely, which is broader than federal First Amendment Protections
State v. Penna
Dissent would have held that the criminal suspect was required to be reminded of his Miranda rights to validly waive a prior invocation, reading Florida's constitutional right against self-incrimination more expansively than its federal counterpart
Walter v. State
Dissent would have held that the imposition of monetary sanctions against the indigent defendant and the denial of his right to file further applications in forma pauperis violated equal access
Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Hunt
Unanimously denied challenge to the law restoring voting rights to non-incarcerated individuals convicted of felonies, on the grounds that the plaintiffs lacked standing
Lucas v. Ashcroft
Ruled that the fiscal note summary printed on every ballot cast for a constitutional amendment authorizing increase in minimum funding of city police force was inaccurate and misleading
Antoun v. Antoun
One spouse of a couple divorcing asked the Texas Supreme Court to decide when, if at all, parental rights attach to embryos and to determine the proper method for allocating IVF embryos during divorce proceedings. The Texas Supreme Court declined to take up the case.
Parrish v. State of Florida
The Florida Supreme Court will resolve a split among the state’s appellate courts over whether a trial judge’s choice not to impose a sentence that falls below the statutory range for the crime — known as a “downward departure” — is appealable by a defendant.
Legislature of the State of California v. Weber
The California Supreme Court decided, without the benefit of lower court review, to remove from November’s ballot a proposed initiative that would require voter approval of nearly any new statewide or local tax.
Priorities USA v. Wisconsin Elections Commission
The Wisconsin Supreme Court reinstated the use of ballot drop boxes, finding it was within election officials' statutory authority to decide whether or not to offer them as a way for voters to return absentee ballots.
Associated General Contractors of Washington v. State
Held that held that the new statute governing use of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) to set prevailing wage rates did not unconstitutionally revise or modify earlier statute limiting use of data from wage surveys
