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 August 2025.
Featured Cases
McDougle v. Scott
Virginia Supreme Court, in a split decision, nullified a constitutional amendment approved by voters that would have redrawn the state's congressional districts, finding the legislative process used for the amendment violated the state constitution
Hoke County Board of Education v. State of North Carolina
The North Carolina Supreme Court overturned its own precedent and put an end to more than 30 years of litigation involving the funding of public education in the state
Commonwealth v. Lee
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that mandating a life sentence, without the possibility of parole, for “felony murder” — a legal doctrine that allows someone to be prosecuted for murder for any death that occurs during the commission of a separate felony, even if the defendant never meant to kill anyone — violates the Pennsylvania Constitution’s ban on “cruel” punishments
Board of Trustees of N. Dakota Public Employees Retirement System v. N. Dakota Legislative Assembly
Held that omnibus appropriations bill, which included law related to appointments to the public employee retirement systems' board, violated single subject rule
Weeks v. Department of Human Service of the Commonwealth
Upheld act ending cash assistance welfare program, finding that legislature’s process satisfied the state’s “original purpose” and “single subject” requirements
Gonzales v. Inslee
Upheld governor’s pandemic-era moratorium on rent-based evictions as not violating contracts, takings, court access, or separation of powers provisions
League of Women Voters Ohio et al. v. Ohio Redistricting Commission et al.
Held that legislative districts violated new constitutional provisions prohibiting partisan gerrymandering
Bennett et al. v. Ohio Redistricting Commission et al.
Held that legislative districts violated new constitutional provisions prohibiting partisan gerrymandering
Monforton v. Knudsen
Upheld attorney general’s determination that proposed property tax ballot initiative violated constitution’s separate-vote requirement
State v. Barnett
Ruled that state constitution does not require district courts to deny bail for a “double felony defendant,” a defendant already serving probation on a felony conviction
State v. Reynolds
Dissent would have held that even under "three strikes" law, it is unconstitutional to rely on juvenile criminal conduct to impose a life without parole sentence
Roberts v. Cuthpert
Ruled that statute allowing recovery of costs from a probate judge who improperly denies a gun license does not violate separation of powers
State ex rel. Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights v. Ohio Ballot Board
Found ballot language for measure protecting reproductive rights, including the term "unborn child," not to be misleading or improperly argumentative in violation of the state constitution, except held that the term "citizens of the State" misleads the average voter about whose actions the amendment restricts.
