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 February 2025.
Featured Cases
LeMieux v. Evers
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will address the scope of Gov. Tony Evers’s state constitutional authority to approve spending bills passed by the legislature only “in part,” by line-item vetoing other parts.
People v. Taylor; People v. Czarnecki
Michigan Supreme Court held that mandatory life-without-parole sentences violate the state constitution’s protection against “cruel or unusual” punishment for anyone under age 21 at the time of the offense. The decision extends the court’s 2022 ruling in People v. Parks that such sentences are unconstitutional for those 18 or under.
N'Da v. Hybl
Nebraska Supreme Court held that statutory requirement that applicant seeking certificate to provide nonemergency medical transport must show the proposed service is required by "public convenience and necessity" does not facially violate state constitutional due process or bans on "special laws" or laws granting "special privileges and immunities." Also held that that the Nebraska Constitution's due process and equal protection clauses are coextensive with their federal equivalents, so federal rational basis review applies to substantive due process challenges to economic regulations, not the heightened standard the court had applied in a line of cases from the early 20th century.
Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Hobbs
Ruled that revenue measures may not be put to referendum, provided they relate to the support and maintenance of existing departments of the state government
In re 2022 Legislative Districting of the State
Held that state legislative districts did not violate requirement that districts be compact, continguous, and regard natural boundaries
State v. Anderson
Ruled defendant’s de facto life sentence of 61 years without parole for juvenile offender crimes does not violate Washington Constitution’s prohibition against cruel punishment
Reproductive Freedom for All v. Board of State Canvassers
Dissent wrote that word spacing in ballot petition’s proposed amendment to the constitution did not meet constitutional mandate of placing full text of amendment on the petition
State v. Obrero
Ruled 1982 constitutional amendment did not repeal by implication statute requiring grand jury for felony prosecutions, thus prosecution based on complaint and probable cause hearing was unlawful
Promote The Vote 2022 v. Board of State Canvassers
Ruled ballot petition’s proposed amendments did not abrogate existing provisions to trigger constitutional requirement to republish those provisions
Lord v. Salt Lake County Clerk
Rejected request for declaratory relief that school district property tax increase was subject to constitution’s voter referendum rights provision
Anderson v. Board of State Canvassers
Concurrence wrote that constitutional amendments proposed by initiative rather than by the legislature may be constitutionally limited to a single purpose
Reed v. State
Ruled defense counsel’s participation in unrecorded bench conferences outside of defendant’s presence did not violate defendant’s right to be present at critical stages of the criminal proceeding
Hendrix v. Jaeger
Ruled Secretary of State’s invalidation of all petition signatures on the basis of notary fraud imputed from inference of fraud in other petitions was a misapplication of the law
