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 April 2024.
Featured Cases
Texas v. Loe
The Texas Supreme Court refused to block a ban on certain medical treatments for transgender minors, saying the state legislature had a rational basis for passing the law and that it does not improperly infringe on the rights of parents to make medical decisions for the children or on physicians’ abilities to treat patients. The court also said the law does not constitute sex discrimination and declined to treat transgender people as a protected class.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc, et al. v. Kim Reynolds, et al.
The Iowa Supreme Court held that abortion is not a fundamental right under the state constitution and is only subject to rational basis review. The court reversed a lower court injunction halting the state's "fetal heartbeat" law.
Drummond v. Statewide Virtual Charter Schoolboard
Ruled that the state education board’s approval of a Catholic school's application to be a public charter school violated the Oklahoma Constitution, the federal Establishment Clause, and the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act
State v. Gnewuch
Held that Nebraska's deferred judgment statute did not violate the state constitution's separation of powers clause
Tricoast Builders, Inc. v. Fonnegra
Ruled that the plaintiff was required to establish prejudice in order to prevail on appeal on their claim regarding the trial court's alleged error in declining to conduct a jury trial
Smith v. Iowa District Court for Polk County
Held that the Iowa Constitution contains a legislative privilege that protects legislators from compelled document production
Hoke County Board of Education v. State
State legislators are asking the court to find that the district court judge lacked subject matter jurisdiction when, on remand from the supreme court, he calculated how much certain education improvements would cost.
Commonwealth v. Shepherd
Held that the state's right to equal protection did not require the retroactive application of a new rule requiring proof of actual malice for felony murder
Fossella v. Adams
Struck down a New York City law that would have allowed non-citizens to vote in municipal elections
Owens v. People
Upheld a conviction in a high-profile murder case, where the defendant, Sir Mario Owens, appealed based on many alleged errors, including racial bias in jury selection.
LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine
Held that wrongful death statute applies to embryos stored as part of IVF procedure
Faatz v. Ashcroft
Affirmed an appeals court ruling that the Missouri Senate redistricting plan met constitutional requirements.
Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region v. Knodell
Concurrence would have held that the state constitution unambiguously exempts appropriation bills from the single subject requirement and was therefore inapplicable to the bill at issue, which professed to eliminate Medicaid funding for abortion providers and their affiliates