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
Snaza v. State
Struck down law requiring sheriffs to get authorization before deploying tear gas as unconstitutional for interfering with sheriffs’ core functions
Stand Up Montana v. Missoula County Public Schools
Held that mask mandates did not violate students' and parents' substantive due process rights
Colorado v. Seymour
Upheld use of a “reverse keyword warrant,” reviewing global search histories to identify individuals who searched for a given keyword, under good-faith exception to unconstitutional searches
Mellor v. Jefferson Parish
Ruled that trial court lacked the authority to order that a parish transfer funds into the court's registry in order to satisfy a judgment
State v. Lee
Ruled that the separation of powers prohibits the judicial branch from exercising pardon power by granting clemency to defendants
Wahkiakum School District No. 200 v. State
Ruled that capital construction costs are not included within the category of education costs for which the state must make ample provision
State v. Ayon
Ruled that a district court judge presiding over a preliminary hearing has no authority to decide whether evidence was obtained from an unconstitutional search or seizure
Clark v. State
Held that when a defendant alleges ineffective assistance of counsel based on counsel's failure to object to an overnight noncommunication order, a presumption of prejudice is warranted
Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission
Held that legislative districts violated new constitutional provisions prohibiting partisan gerrymandering
Grisham v. Van Soelen
Held that partisan gerrymandering claims are justiciable and gave guidance to lower courts resolving such a claim
