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 May 2025.
Featured Cases
League of Women Voters of South Carolina v. Alexander
South Carolina Supreme Court held that partisan gerrymandering claims are nonjusticiable political questions, which state courts cannot review, under the state constitution.
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court sent partisan gerrymandering case back to lower court to consider whether the legislature violated voters' fundamental right to "reform or alter" their government when it overturned redistricting reforms passed by initiative. Lower court found legislators violated that right and struck the current congressional map.
Black Voters Matter v. Byrd
Florida Supreme Court upheld the state's 2022 congressional map against voting rights groups' challenge that it diminishes Black voters' ability to elect candidates of their choice in violation of a 2010 amendment, finding the plaintiffs had not proven the possibility of drawing a remedial map that complies with the federal equal protection clause.
Thourtman v. Junior
Held that, despite right to pretrial release, a court may detain a defendant without setting release conditions to first conduct a hearing to determine the defendant's eligibility for release
State v. Poe
Held that right to restitution for crime victims does not confer standing on victims to seek or renew orders of restitution in criminal cases when the state declines to do so
Dutchess v. Dutch
Ruled granting decision-making authority to father regarding vaccinating children did not violate mother’s constitutional rights to free exercise of religion or due process
Advocates for School Trust Lands v. State
Held that statute relinquishing the state's ownership of certain water rights did not violate the state's constitutional trustee duties
Moynihan v. Lynch
Held that a statute requiring that parties to a palimony agreement obtain counsel before signing the contract violates substantive due process
In re Senate Joint Resolution of Legislative Apportionment 100
Upheld legislative district apportionment plan as satisfying constitution's redistricting provisions
State v. Elwell
Concurrence wrote that an officer must have immediate, apparent knowledge that there is incriminating evidence before them to satisfy the plain view exception for warrantless searches
Zab v. Rhode Island Department of Corrections
Held unconstitutional a civil death statute which barred civil claims by anyone incarcerated under a life sentence
In re Opinion of the Justices
Advisory opinion interpreting the governor's constitutional authority to remove state officers
State v. Basquin
Held that supervisory orders allowing written, as opposed to in-person, pleas during the Covid-19 pandemic, did not violate due process or separation of powers
