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.
Malvo v. State
Dissent would have ruled a juvenile sentence of life without parole is constitutional and state prohibition against of cruel or unusual punishment provides no greater protection than the Eighth Amendment
Anderson v. State
Ruled courts may exercise constitutional jurisdiction over habeas petitions notwithstanding statute’s requirement to exhaust administrative remedies of New Mexico Corrections Dept.
Under the Rainbow Early Education Center v. County of Goodhue
Ruled early childhood education center is a tax-exempt seminary of learning under the constitution
Spiegel v. Board of Education of Howard County
Held rules for qualification and selection of student member to county board of education do not violate Maryland Constitution’s election requirements and Declaration of Rights
Prickett v. State
Ruled defendant's constitutional right to be present at trial was not violated when counsel conferred with court during bench conferences out of defendant’s presence
State v. Pizzuto
Ruled statute allowing governor to reject Idaho Commission of Pardon and Parole clemency recommendations is constitutional expression of legislature’s authority over Commission
People v. Boykin
Held that trial courts must consider a juvenile defendant's youth to be a mitigating factor when sentencing them to term-of-years sentence
People v. Parks
Held that mandatory sentences of life without parole for people who are 18 at the time of the crime are unconstitutional under the state constitution
North Carolina NAACP v. Moore
Ruled principles of popular sovereignty and democratic self-rule impose limits on authority of legislators elected from unconstitutionally racially gerrymandered districts to initiate process of amending constitution
Brown v. State
Dissent would have denied indigent defendant's petition as meritless without limiting future filings in forma pauperis, as violating constitutional right to access to courts
