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 June 2025.
Featured Cases
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court dismissed legislators' appeal from trial court ruling that struck the state's congressional map. Lower court said law the map was enacted under violated a fundamental right of voters to alter or reform their government — recognized by the Utah high court earlier in the case — by repealing a redistricting-reform initiative, and subsequently adopted plaintiffs' proposed alternative map
Commonwealth v. Council for Better Education; LaFontaine v. Council for Better Education
Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a law providing for charter schools funds education outside the “system of common schools,” in violation of clauses requiring the legislature to establish such a system and voters to approve such funding
McDougle v. Nardo
Virginia Supreme Court permitted legislature's proposed amendment to redraw the state’s congressional map to proceed to a vote, while it considers appeal of trial court decision finding the legislative process unconstitutional
Conservation Commission v. Bailey
Held that legislature lacked authority to restrict Conservation Commission from using funds for constitutionally enumerated purposes, thus violating separation of powers principles
State v. Hamby
Ruled that there was no violation of unanimous jury verdict rule despite alleged flaws in jury instructions, as nature of evidence abated risk that jury did not “substantially agree” to acts described in instructions
Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association v. NYS Department of Transportation
Ruled that regulation authorizing roadside inspection of a commercial vehicle’s electronic logging device data fell within the administrative search exception to the warrant requirement
Berkson v. State ex rel. Askins
Ruled statute requiring court to collect fees for a lengthy trial fund from attorneys who file civil actions was not an unconstitutionally prohibited "special law"
The State ex rel. One Person One Vote v. Ohio Ballot Board
Held that language of proposed amendment seeking to make it harder to amend state constitution via initiative petition was partly misleading, and thus remanded to ballot board for revision
Planned Parenthood of Heartland, Inc. v. Reynolds
Issued a split opinion as to the constitutionality of abortion ban, leaving in place lower court decision
A.B. v. S.U.
Ruled that a statute reviving an otherwise time-barred claim of child sexual abuse did not violate state equivalent to due process
State v. Gonzalez (In re Sargent)
Ruled that trial courts may deny bail to defendants charged with class A felony offenses because the constitution focuses on whether the offense in general, not as charged to the specific defendant, is punishable by the possibility of life in prison
Joseph v. State
Ruled that the state constitution does not require probable cause for an exterior canine sniff of a vehicle
State v. Langston
Ruled that the sentencing court’s consideration of acquitted conduct did not violate defendant’s state constitutional rights to due process
