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 June 2025.
Featured Cases
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court dismissed legislators' appeal from trial court ruling that struck the state's congressional map. Lower court said law the map was enacted under violated a fundamental right of voters to alter or reform their government — recognized by the Utah high court earlier in the case — by repealing a redistricting-reform initiative, and subsequently adopted plaintiffs' proposed alternative map
Commonwealth v. Council for Better Education; LaFontaine v. Council for Better Education
Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a law providing for charter schools funds education outside the “system of common schools,” in violation of clauses requiring the legislature to establish such a system and voters to approve such funding
McDougle v. Nardo
Virginia Supreme Court permitted legislature's proposed amendment to redraw the state’s congressional map to proceed to a vote, while it considers appeal of trial court decision finding the legislative process unconstitutional
In re Noem
Held that the contract clause of the state constitution prohibits a legislator, or former legislator within one year following the expiration of the legislator's term, from being interested, directly or indirectly, in contracts that are authorized by laws passed during the legislator's term, but does not categorically prohibit all contracts between legislators and the State
BABE VOTE v. McGrane
Held that laws prohibiting the use of student IDs for voting purposes did not violate the state constitution
Becerra v. State
Ruled that the presence of an alternate juror during a petit jury's deliberations did not violate the state constitutional right to a jury composed of twelve people; however, the alternate juror's participation in jury deliberations was impermissible and violated provision in the code of criminal procedure
Neptune Swimming Foundation v. City of Scottsdale
Ruled that the City of Scottsdale did not violate the state's gift clause when it awarded an operating license to plaintiff swim club's competitor at below-market rates
Cao v. PFP Dorsey Investments
Held that a forced sale of a condominium as required by a contract and within the bounds of the state Condominium Act did not violate the state constitution's eminent domain provision.
Forward Montana v. State
Held that plaintiffs were entitled to attorney's fees for challenging two statutory provisions relating to campaign activities and judicial recusal, added to state's campaign finance bill, that would have violated the state constitution's single subject rule and rule on amendments
City of Laramie v. University of Wyoming
Held that the University of Wyoming had common-law sovereign immunity from city's attempt to enforce restrictive deed covenant pertaining to its drilling and operation of two wells for watering university's landscaping including golf course; and the city's other constitutional and statutory challenges against the university should also be dismissed
Scott v. Pennsylvania Board of Parole
Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled it lacked jurisdiction to hear petition for review of parole board's denial of parole applications of people serving mandatory sentences of life without parole for felony murder. Petitioners sought a declaration that application of statute denying parole to individuals serving life sentences to those convicted of felony murder was unconstitutional under state ban on cruel punishments.
Hensley v. State Commission on Judicial Conduct
Plaintiff justice of the peace claims that sanctioning her for refusing to officiate same-sex marriages on account of her Christian faith violated her free speech rights
Owens v. People
Upheld a conviction in a high-profile murder case, where the defendant, Sir Mario Owens, appealed based on many alleged errors, including racial bias in jury selection.
