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 2025.
Featured Cases
Access Independent Health Services v. Wrigley
North Dakota Supreme Court upheld state's abortion ban despite three of five justices concluding a health-risk exception was unconstitutionally vague, because the state constitution requires four justices to declare legislation unconstitutional
Clarke v. Town of Newburgh
New York Court of Appeals held local government could not assert state or federal equal protection challenge to the vote dilution provision of the state's Voting Rights Act
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, adopting an alternative proposed by the plaintiffs
State v. McAlpin
Dissent would have held that defendants have a constitutional right to hybrid representation, in which defendant and defense counsel share responsibilities
City of Wells Fargo v. McAllister
Held that the constitution's "quick take" takings provision allowing the government to acquire a right of way over private properties applies to a sewage project, not only roads and highways
State v. Morel-Vargas
Ruled defense counsel's representation that the defendant waived his right to testify, together with the defendant's silence, satisfied constitutional requirement for a valid waiver
Hicks v. 2021 Hawaii Reapportionment Commission
Held that the reapportionment commission satisfied redistricting provisions even though the plan does not meet every guideline because it considered those guidelines alongside other policy objectives
Aguirre v. Elko County Sheriff's Office
Held that there is no civil forfeiture exception to the constitution's homestead exemption and public policy does not support the creation of such an exception
Benson v. McKee
Evaluated the legislature's constitutional authority to enact legislation protecting abortion access, but dismissed the case on standing grounds
Murphy v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
Held that the Chief Judge's pandemic-era administrative tolling order, concerning the timeliness of complaints, did not violate separation of powers or unconstitutionally suspend laws
Harkenrider v. Hochul
Held that congressional and state senate reapportionment plans failed to follow constitutional process and district lines were drawn with unconstitutional partisan intent
People v. Dawson
Dissent wrote that defendant's request that an interrogating officer call his lawyer amounted to a request to speak with his lawyer, invalidating subsequent waiver of Miranda rights
Stepp v. Cottrell
Held that a claim for excessive force by police officers must be analyzed under the relevant constitutional provision rather than as a general violation of substantive due process
