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 June 2025.
Featured Cases
League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature (LWV 1)
Utah Supreme Court dismissed legislators' appeal from trial court ruling that struck the state's congressional map. Lower court said law the map was enacted under violated a fundamental right of voters to alter or reform their government — recognized by the Utah high court earlier in the case — by repealing a redistricting-reform initiative, and subsequently adopted plaintiffs' proposed alternative map
Commonwealth v. Council for Better Education; LaFontaine v. Council for Better Education
Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a law providing for charter schools funds education outside the “system of common schools,” in violation of clauses requiring the legislature to establish such a system and voters to approve such funding
McDougle v. Nardo
Virginia Supreme Court permitted legislature's proposed amendment to redraw the state’s congressional map to proceed to a vote, while it considers appeal of trial court decision finding the legislative process unconstitutional
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
State v. Price-Williams
Dissent would have held that a defendant must be both armed and dangerous for a search following a Terry stop to be constitutional
State v. Hauge
Held the constitution does not require individuals be informed that they are free to refuse consent to a warrantless search
Bass v. City of Edmonds
Held that a city ordinance requiring that guns be stored safely and kept out of unauthorized hands is preempted by state firearms law
Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association v. The County of Cook
Dissent wrote that an amendment restricting how government may use transportation-related revenue can only apply to state revenue under home rule provisions which empower localities
Nevada Policy Research Institute, Inc. v. Cannizzaro
Established an exception to traditional standing requirements when an appropriate party seeks to enforce a public official's compliance with Nevada's separation-of-powers clause
Association of Village Council Presidents Regional Housing Authority v. Mael
Ruled statutory noneconomic damages cap’s failure to account for inflation does not violate due process rights
Rutledge v. Remmel
Ruled constitution’s specific illegal-exaction provision controls over general sovereign immunity, allowing illegal exaction claim against Attorney General
