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
The Detroit News, Inc. v. Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission
Ruled redistricting commission’s closed-session meeting and withholding of memoranda requested by news organizations violated open meetings and publication of supporting materials requirements
State v. Stephens
Ruled statute violated separation of powers clause because it delegated authority to the Attorney General to prosecute election laws, a power more properly assigned to the judicial department
Dunleavy v. Alaska Legislative Council ex rel. Alaska State Legislature
Ruled that laws defining legislative inaction as tantamount to rejection, in the context of appointments and confirmations, violate the state constitution
Calcasieu Parish School Board Sales v. Nelson Industrial Steam Co.
Ruled legislation excluding certain transactions from sales tax was a new tax and violated Tax Limitation clause for failure to garner a supermajority vote in legislature
State v. Bowman
Ruled that a cell phone owner’s voluntary consent to search text messages justifies intruding on an otherwise private affair
Wash. State Legislature v. Inslee
Ruled that the governor exceeded his veto power by striking a single sentence in an appropriate bill
Commonwealth v. Dejesus
Abolished separate standing requirement and ruled a defendant need only show a reasonable expectation of privacy in a place searched to contest search and seizure
Thom v. Barnett (In re Election Contest Dakota Constitution to Legalize)
In challenge to initiated constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana, ruled proposed amendment violated constitution’s single subject and separate vote requirements
In re Goldston
Ruled family court judge’s presence at party’s home to look for marital property was an improper search under prohibition against judicial officers exercising the executive search power
State ex rel. Suwalski v. Peeler
Ruled that application for relief from federal firearms disability after conviction for domestic violence implicated crime victim’s rights under the constitution
