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 March 2025.
Featured Cases
Kaul v. Urmanski
Wisconsin Supreme Court held that an 1849 law, which a local prosecutor had claimed was a near-total abortion ban, is impliedly repealed as to abortion by subsequent legislation and does not ban the procedure in the state.
Contoocook Valley School District v. New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Supreme Court affirmed the state's existing education funding law is constitutionally inadequate and $7,356.01 per pupil as a minimum constitutional guidepost for the legislature, but reversed the trial court's injunction directing the state immediately to pay that amount because the court failed to give adequate weight to separation of powers concerns.
Republican National Committee v. Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc; Georgia v. Eternal Vigilance Action
The Georgia Supreme Court ruled invalid under state nondelegation principles four of seven rules passed by the Georgia State Election board, while upholding one rule. The court did not decide the validity of two other rules, holding that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the provisions.
Harris v. State
Ruled that right to a jury trial applies to "habitual offender" trials, but that there is no right to present evidence to a jury that does not prove or disprove prior convictions
Members of the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana v. Planned Parenthood Great Northwest
Held that the right to privacy does not protect the right to abortion except when necessary to protect the patient’s life or to protect a patient from a serious health risk
Ex parte Sheffield
Ruled that defendant’s speedy trial claims were not cognizable in pretrial habeas corpus litigation, which would effectively undermine rather than vindicate the constitutional right before trial
Aurora Public Schools. v. A.S.
Ruled that statute creating a new cause of action for victims of child sexual abuse pre-dating the statute and for which claims were time-barred was unconstitutional as applied under constitution’s prohibition on retrospective legislation
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
