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 May 2025.
Featured Cases
Access Independent Health Services v. Wrigley
North Dakota Supreme Court upheld state's abortion ban despite three of five justices concluding a health-risk exception was unconstitutionally vague, because the state constitution requires four justices to declare legislation unconstitutional
Clarke v. Town of Newburgh
New York Court of Appeals held local government could not assert state or federal equal protection challenge to the vote dilution provision of the state's Voting Rights Act
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court sent partisan gerrymandering case back to lower court to consider whether the legislature violated voters' fundamental right to "reform or alter" their government when it overturned redistricting reforms passed by initiative. Lower court found legislators violated that right and struck the current congressional map, adopting an alternative proposed by the plaintiffs
State v. Avoletta
Ruled that law extending the time for filing claims for poor air quality in schools was a private benefit violating the public emoluments clause
Valley Health System v. Murray
Ruled that the constitution allows both the governor and chief justice to designate substitutes for disqualified justices on the supreme court
State v. Kollie
Held that the right to a public trial was not violated when the court held bench conferences within view of the public
Saunders v. Mississippi
Held that portions of a bill restructuring the judiciary in Hinds County violated constitution's requirement that circuit judges be elected
State v. Bell
Ruled that the a police officer may not make a warrantless arrest for a DUI committed outside the officer’s presence
Caulkins v. Pritzker
Ruled that state ban on assault weapons with exemptions did not deny equal protection or amount to unconstitutional special legislation
State v. Benton
Ruled that a possible confidential informant was a state agent when questioning defendant, thus violating defendant's right to counsel
State v. Johnson
Overruled precedent that permitted defendants in camera review of victim’s medical records, in part because of new victim’s rights constitutional provision
State v. Rivers
Declined to hold that there is greater protection of the right to a jury drawn from fair cross section of the community under the state constitution than the federal constitution
Chevron U.S.A. v. Monterey County
Struck down local ordinance prohibiting coastal oil drilling and fracking activities as preempted by state law
