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 April 2024.
Featured Cases
Texas v. Loe
The Texas Supreme Court refused to block a ban on certain medical treatments for transgender minors, saying the state legislature had a rational basis for passing the law and that it does not improperly infringe on the rights of parents to make medical decisions for the children or on physicians’ abilities to treat patients. The court also said the law does not constitute sex discrimination and declined to treat transgender people as a protected class.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc, et al. v. Kim Reynolds, et al.
The Iowa Supreme Court held that abortion is not a fundamental right under the state constitution and is only subject to rational basis review. The court reversed a lower court injunction halting the state's "fetal heartbeat" law.
Drummond v. Statewide Virtual Charter Schoolboard
Ruled that the state education board’s approval of a Catholic school's application to be a public charter school violated the Oklahoma Constitution, the federal Establishment Clause, and the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act
State v. Wellknown
Concurrence would have held that state constitution provides greater protection against discriminatory peremptory challenges than the federal constitution
The Village of Newburgh Heights v. State
Held that a statute reducing a municipality's state funding by an amount equal to the fines collected from traffic camera citations did not violate home rule authority
Caruso v. Eighth Judicial District Court of Nevada
Dissent would have held that separation of powers prohibits a state legislator from also serving as a prosecutor, an executive branch function
Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County v. Tennessee Department of Education
Ruled that a program redirecting money from local public school systems directly to some students to pay for private school tuition did not violate home rule provision
City of Baytown v. Schrock
Concurrence emphasized the protections provided by the state takings clause, but agreed that property damage due to civil enforcement of an ordinance is not enough to sustain a regulatory takings claim
State v. McAlpin
Dissent would have held that defendants have a constitutional right to hybrid representation, in which defendant and defense counsel share responsibilities
City of Wells Fargo v. McAllister
Held that the constitution's "quick take" takings provision allowing the government to acquire a right of way over private properties applies to a sewage project, not only roads and highways
State v. Morel-Vargas
Ruled defense counsel's representation that the defendant waived his right to testify, together with the defendant's silence, satisfied constitutional requirement for a valid waiver
Hicks v. 2021 Hawaii Reapportionment Commission
Held that the reapportionment commission satisfied redistricting provisions even though the plan does not meet every guideline because it considered those guidelines alongside other policy objectives
Aguirre v. Elko County Sheriff's Office
Held that there is no civil forfeiture exception to the constitution's homestead exemption and public policy does not support the creation of such an exception