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 November 2024.
Featured Cases
Held v. Montana
Held that Montana’s policy of excluding greenhouse gas emissions and related climate impacts from environmental reviews of fossil fuel projects violated the state constitution’s guarantee of a clean and healthful environment.
Evers v. Marklein
Court will decide whether a legislative committee’s vetoes of an agency rule that would ban the practice of “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ patients violates the separation of powers principles in the Wisconsin Constitution.
In an earlier installment of the case, the court ruled 6–1 that the law permitting the effective legislative veto of agency land-conservation expenditures violated the executive branch’s “core power” to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” While the Wisconsin Constitution gives the legislature authority to create an agency, define its parameters, and appropriate funds for it, the power to spend those funds in accordance with legislation lies solely with the executive, the court said.
People v. Taylor
Defendant argues that mandatory life-without-parole sentences constitute unconstitutional cruel punishment under the Michigan Constitution for those who were 20 or younger at the time of commission of a crime. A 2022 court ruling held such sentences were unconstitutional for those 18-years-old and younger.
Convent Corp. v. City of North Little Rock
Allowed nightclub’s as-applied due process and takings challenges to proceed as to condemnation ordinance and procedures
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
State v. Pittman
Ruled that state may only compel a defendant to unlock a phone if the state has a warrant, already knows the information the act of unlocking would communicate, and cannot use that act against the defendant
Casiano v. State
Ruled that when a defendant has completed an erroneously imposed sentence, possibility of a future sentencing enhancement is not a sufficient collateral legal consequence to permit exercise of judicial power
Butler v. Parks
Ruled assigned counsel lacked standing to assert constitutional rights of unidentified indigent defendants to a fair trial and effective assistance of counsel, and state immunity bars monetary relief
Commonwealth v. Middaugh
Ruled that a license suspension which is unreasonably delayed through no fault of the driver may violate due process provision, but required showing of prejudice
State v. Harrison
Held Attorney General could not constitutionally delegate prosecution of official misconduct charges to circuit solicitor
State v. Mixton
Ruled IP addresses and ISP subscriber information are not protected under Private Affair Clause and law enforcement may obtain the information with only an administrative subpoena
State v. Keefe
Concurrence and Dissent would have held that life without parole sentences are per se unconstitutional for juvenile offenders
