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 August 2024.
Featured Cases
Genser v. Butler County Board of Elections
Held citizens whose mail-in ballots were disqualified for a failure to return them in the required secrecy envelope have a right to cast a provisional ballot and have it count.
Cincinnati Enquirer v. Bloom
Found the blanket sealing of a juvenile’s delinquency records when the juvenile is found not delinquent — the juvenile equivalent of not guilty — unconstitutional because there was no determination that the harm to the juvenile outweighed the public’s right to access court records
Gonzalez v. Miller
Unanimously affirmed the denial of a district attorney’s effort to dismiss a state Open Records Act request relating to her office’s “failure . . . to effectively prosecute criminal cases, and an open disregard for the laws of the State of Georgia"
Clark Fork Coalition v. Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
Ruled that statute providing for only limited review of surface water degradation risk before issuance of water use permit did not violate right to a clean and healthful environment
Grisham v. Romero
Ruled that Secretary of Health's emergency order restricting indoor dining was not an unconstitutional exercise of legislative powers in the context of the public health crisis
Fay v. Merrill
Ruled governor’s executive order to add Covid-19 as a new reason for requesting an absentee ballot did not violate constitution’s absentee ballot clause
State v. Lee
Ruled that evidence of a separate, independent crime after an illegal entry should not have been suppressed under constitution's search and seizure clause
Schires v. Carlat
Ruled city’s payment of public funds to induce private university to open branch campus violated gift clause where funds were disproportionate to the bargained-for benefits from university
State v. Thompson
Ruled that statute, as applied to prohibit a represented party from filing pro se supplemental briefs on appeal, does not violate separation of powers doctrine
State ex rel. Dickey v. Besler
Ruled that challenge to governor's appointment of a judge as untimely was nonjusticiable as the only other official with appointment power, the chief justice, accepted the appointment
Rozenblit v. Lyles
Ruled that agreement between school district and education association authorizing teachers to work on the association's business does not violate gift clause requiring public money is used for public purposes
State v. Halverson
Ruled that self-incrimination clause does not support per se rule treating all incarcerated individuals as "in custody"
In re Palmer
Ruled habeas relief was available to inmate whose continued incarceration had become constitutionally excessive after parole denials, but parole term remained valid after release
