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 February 2025.
Featured Cases
LeMieux v. Evers
The Wisconsin Supreme Court held, in a divided decision, that the governor did not exceed his partial veto authority under the state constitution when he altered digits, words, and punctuation in a budget bill to extend a school funding increase from 2 to 402 years.
Griffin v. State Board of Elections
A candidate for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court, who lost by over 700 votes, claims that the state board of elections followed an incorrect process for registering voters and seeks in invalidate more than 60,000 votes.
People v. Taylor; People v. Czarnecki
Michigan Supreme Court held that mandatory life-without-parole sentences violate the state constitution’s protection against “cruel or unusual” punishment for anyone under age 21 at the time of the offense. The decision extends the court’s 2022 ruling in People v. Parks that such sentences are unconstitutional for those 18 or under.
Siebert v. Okun
Ruled that cap on damages in medical malpractice statute did not violate right to trial by jury because the damages cap did not invade the fact-finding province of the jury
Duke v. State
Dissent wrote that if a defendant declines representation by a public defender, due process and right to counsel do not obligate indigent defense agency to provide funding for ancillary defense services
Thurston v. Safe Surgery Arkansas
Upheld preliminary injunction enjoining statute’s background check requirements on paid canvassers as unconstitutionally impairing initiative and referendum rights
Baddourah v. McMaster
Ruled that governor could suspend city councilman following domestic violence charges because the legislator exception to the suspension power refers to state legislators and the indictment charged a crime of moral turpitude
Woods v. Seattle's Union Gospel Mission
Ruled that employment discrimination statute exempting religious nonprofits from the definition of "employer" does not violate clause prohibiting the unequal granting of privileges and immunities
City of Albuquerque v. SMP Properties, LLC
Ruled that whether a constitutional taking based on damage to a property occurred depends on the specific circumstances and requires a fact-finder to resolve disputed questions of fact
O.G. v. Superior Court of Ventura County
Ruled legislative amendment to initiative statute to prohibit transfer of minors under age 16 from juvenile to criminal court was constitutionally consistent with and furthered statute’s intent
Doe v. La Fuente, Inc.
Ruled that federal test for employer-employee relationship also governs employee definition under state minimum wage amendment, and independent contractor statute does not remove the amendment's protections
Emerson v. Hillsborough County
Ruled that county charter amendment directing allocation of tax proceeds conflicts with state law and invalidated the tax as voters would not have approved the tax without the accompanying distribution scheme
City of Bloomington Board of Zoning Appeals v. UJ-Eighty Corp.
Ruled that zoning ordinance that defined fraternities and sororities based on their relationship with university was not an unconstitutional delegation of zoning authority to the university