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 March 2025.
Featured Cases
Kaul v. Urmanski
Wisconsin Supreme Court held that an 1849 law, which a local prosecutor had claimed was a near-total abortion ban, is impliedly repealed as to abortion by subsequent legislation and does not ban the procedure in the state.
Contoocook Valley School District v. New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Supreme Court affirmed the state's existing education funding law is constitutionally inadequate and $7,356.01 per pupil as a minimum constitutional guidepost for the legislature, but reversed the trial court's injunction directing the state immediately to pay that amount because the court failed to give adequate weight to separation of powers concerns.
Republican National Committee v. Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc; Georgia v. Eternal Vigilance Action
The Georgia Supreme Court ruled invalid under state nondelegation principles four of seven rules passed by the Georgia State Election board, while upholding one rule. The court did not decide the validity of two other rules, holding that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the provisions.
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
Willis v. Bernini
Ruled state’s failure to present clearly exculpatory evidence to the grand jury relevant to 3rd-party defense justification violated defendant’s constitutional due process rights
State v. The Alaska Legislative Council
Ruled legislature’s education appropriation from a future fiscal year’s budget violates constitution’s budgetary clauses’ implied requirement that funds be appropriated annually
State v. Donovan
Ruling police seizure of defendant violated constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizures when they had no articulable, reasonable suspicion to justify seizure
Zolly v. City of Oakland
Ruled city's fees for private waste hauling contracts were not exempt from constitution's voter approval requirement for imposition of taxes
Brunson v. State
Concurred to deny post-conviction relief petition as meritless but restricting defendant's future filings in forma pauperis violated constitutional right to access to courts
Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation v. Commonwealth
Ruled statute diverting public land trust funds to General Assembly does not facially violate constitution's Environmental Rights Amendment
People v. Stovall
Ruled parolable life sentence for defendant who committed 2nd degree murder while a juvenile constitutes cruel or unusual punishment violating Michigan Constitution
