It's that time of year again ✏️📚 Get ready for the new semester with @miriamseifter.bsky.social 's Back-to-School state con law scholarship roundup.

Less than a week left (!!!) to vote for our panel "How State Constitutions Empower and Protect Youth" to be included in @sxswedu.com 2026. Head to the #SXSWEDU #PanelPicker and click the heart before August 24.

Only half of all Americans know their state has a constitution. You can help us change that! Please click on the link below to vote for our proposed SXSW EDU panel, How State Constitutions Empower and Protect Youth.

NEW: SCOTUS's controversial invocation of originalism has sparked a lively debate among justices about interpreting state court cases using "history and tradition." @cisozaki.bsky.social & Maryjane Johnson review recent critiques of originalism and alternative interpretive methods to consider.

Have you voted yet for our @statecourtreport.org SXSW EDU (proposed) panel? We've lined up an all-star group: @lwvus.bsky.social CEO Celina Stewart, @aclu.org's Harper Seldin, and @youthvgov.bsky.social's Julia Olson. But we need your vote! THANK YOU FOR VOTING! participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sx...

You can help State Court Report make it to South by Southwest EDU! Please vote below on a great panel.

With scant federal protections for those incarcerated in extreme heat, state constitutions could offer this particularly vulnerable population more relief.

NEW: Justices in Connecticut, Texas, and Pennsylvania have called on their courts to embrace independent state constitutional interpretations. @aliciabannon.bsky.social discusses recent state judicial opinions that critique lockstepping.

ICYMI: Hot weather leaves people behind bars particularly vulnerable. Ava Kaufman, @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social & @briannaseid.bsky.social wrote in @statecourtreport.org about limited federal protections & how state constitutions could offer a more promising answer. statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

Why did I write about state court pushback to the Dred Scott decision? Because President Trump’s January 2025 Executive Order directly cited the Dred Scott decision when he took aim at birthright citizenship. And we could see state courts pushback against the Supreme Court again. I'll explain. /1

A debate’s been brewing at the federal level over whether a judge in a single county can issue a statewide injunction, and it’s coming to state courts. Constance Van Kley explores how state courts can and should respond when it does.

More people have been executed in 2025 than in any year of the past decade. @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social explains how some states are strengthening protections against the death penalty. Stay informed on the latest developments in state courts and constitutions: go.statecourtreport.org/subscribe

If your Friday is going too well, here's an article I wrote about executions surging and states killing people in increasingly gruesome ways. There have also been instances of likely innocent people being executed—over prosecutors' or lawmakers' objections. @statecourtreport.org @slate.com

NEW: Despite support for the death penalty declining, there have been more executions in 2025 than any year in the past decade, "and states are...killing people in ever more gruesome ways..." @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social spoke with attorney John Mills about his anti-death-penalty advocacy.

Hawaii is suing oil companies by invoking the state constitution's "public trust doctrine," which declares that “all public natural resources are held in trust by the State for the benefit of the people." Sarah J. Morath explores this new trend in environmental litigation.

An absolutely remarkable concurrence by Chief Justice Karofsky in the WI Supreme Court case that held the state's total abortion ban is not in effect. CJ Karofsky recounts the stories of women, including her great-grandmother, who died bc of abortion restrictions. www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/D...

I know you have a lot of options for hearing a wrap up of this term of Court, but let me suggest that this one is going to be a banger! I hope you'll join us.

Obergefell v. Hodges came down 10 years ago today, making marriage equality the law of the land. Human rights lawyer Jordan Long wrote a beautiful article commemorating the anniversary for @statecourtreport.bsky.social and @brennancenter.org.

OH GREAT. Thomas calling for a reexamination of Section 1983 jurisprudence—the main way people whose civil rights have been violated by state actors sue. He also urged the Court to revisit abortion rights, Chevron deference, and affirmative action law. And look what happened to those.

Yes. @ddangaran.bsky.social made this same point in @statecourtreport.bsky.social: Skrmetti opens the door to bans on health care for trans adults, not just kids.

NEW: What’s next in the struggle for equal rights in the aftermath of SCOTUS’s decision upholding a ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth? @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social spoke with trans rights advocate @ddangaran.bsky.social about the impact of U.S. v. Skrmetti on trans people.

Looking to understand what happened in SCOTUS this year? Thrilled to moderate this event with some of the top legal thinkers (and doers!) in the country.

Today is 20th anniversary of Supreme Court's notorious ruling in Kelo v. New London, upholding taking of property for private "economic development." In new @brennancenter.org article, I assess massive state response to Kelo - much progress, but not enough: statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

I was glad to have the chance to discuss a dangerous measure in the budget bill that would create huge financial barriers for plaintiffs seeking to protect their rights.

Today in Skrmetti, SCOTUS said bans on gender-affirming care for trans minors didn’t violate the Equal Protection Clause. But as our managing editor @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social explains, state courts can interpret state constitutions differently.

Check out Morgan Munroe and @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social's review of recent state court litigation and what it suggests about the future of trans rights.

Sigh, this is unsurprising. As @yeargain.bsky.social has written, state courts can do what SCOTUS didn’t: strike down laws that discriminate against trans people, based on state constitutions. @statecourtreport.bsky.social

Leah’s Lawless book party was a stream of hilarious jokes and insightful commentary, just like the book itself. So fun. @leahlitman.bsky.social @dtdeacon.bsky.social @profmmurray.bsky.social @kateshaw.bsky.social

"North Carolina Justice Anita Earls ... expressed bewilderment at her majority’s new standard. 'Either the statute is consistent with the constitution or not,' she said. 'This notion that you have to somehow establish that beyond a reasonable doubt makes no sense to me.'" bsky.app/profile/stat...

Found @leahlitman.bsky.social backstage @thedailyshow.com surrounded by snacks and dozens of pages of handwritten notes prepping to talk about her book Lawless! Everyone watch tonight! She was hilarious and insightful, as always.

Did you know state constitutions can be even more protective of our rights than the US Constitution? We’ve asked an expert from each state to dive into their constitution, narrate its history, identify its quirks, and summarize its most essential components for our readers. Learn about yours here:

The Georgia high court upheld a ban on most ppl under 21 carrying handguns in public, noting GA's constitution lets the legislature regulate the ways firearms may be carried. So many state courts are grappling w gun laws. E.g., statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana... @statecourtreport.bsky.social

ICMYI: @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social hosted a discussion with sitting state supreme court justices all about state high court clerkships. Check out the recording, along with our handy resource, if you're a law student or recent grad thinking about your next career move.

Don't miss out on State Court Report's fantastic state supreme court clerkship resource!

Attn: law students and recent grads! With clerkship season upon us, our amazing free state court clerkship resource can help you plan your next move. Highlighting opportunities across 19 states and over 95 justices, application tips, deadlines, judge-specific requirements—it’s all there, and more.

I wrote about a major religious freedom ruling from the MA supreme court, addressing parental objections to vaccinations. It's fascinating for many reasons, including as an example of what an alternative to federal free exercise jurisprudence could look like. statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

NEW: Our latest essay spotlighting state constitutions comes from Steven Steinglass, who dives deep into the history that shaped the Ohio Constitution—including major events in 2023 and 2024—and the uncertainty of its future.

In 2022, courts sent 11% more youth to incarceration – the first increase in youth confinement in over 2 decades. A particularly alarming stat given that 38% of people in state prisons were first arrested before age 16. More from our latest report 👇 www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2...

A remarkable thing happened at the Wyoming Supreme Court yesterday: Several justices wondered aloud why "strict scrutiny" doesn't apply to "cruel or unusual" punishment claims like it does to other civil rights violations. I covered it for @statecourtreport.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/kasi...

No state high court has said the right against excessive punishment is fundamental and subject to strict scrutiny, writes @kylecbarry.bsky.social. If Wyoming does, maybe others will too, & we could finally see meaningful judicial review of extreme sentences. @statecourtreport.bsky.social

Trend alert: The Wyoming high court will hear arguments May 13 about whether automatic life w/o parole for ppl under age 21 violates the state constitution. If it says yes, it will be the 4th state high court to do so. Listen to the args in State v. Hicks at link. @statecourtreport.bsky.social

NEW: Dark money spending in the 2024 federal elections hit $1.9 billion — nearly double the previous record. This is an unprecedented surge in secret political spending. Here’s the full @brennancenter.bsky.social report with all of the details: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

6 months after the election, the person who won the election will be seated. And those citizens who took the time to participate in democracy will have their votes counted.

NEW: "You can’t change the rules after an election." In a win for voters, the six-month dispute over the NC Supreme Court election ended yesterday with Griffin's concession to Riggs. @erings.bsky.social discusses the details and stakes of dispute:

The stakes in the NC supreme court race were high. As @marcusagadson.bsky.social explained, if the courts had handed a victory to the losing candidate, ppl across the political spectrum could have seen the court as unfair. It could have lost its legitimacy.

What a wild ride this NC supreme court election was. For background on the ups and downs of Griffin's failed attempt to throw out over 60,000 votes, check out Justin Lam's @statecourtreport.bsky.social article: statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

NEW: Who counts as a parent? Maya Adhikhari and @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social discuss how a case before the Ohio Supreme Court is revealing how laws defining parenthood can fall short for people who have children in same-sex relationships.

Follow our State Court Report contributor starter pack to keep on top of all the latest state constitutional and state court developments. No better time as SCOTUS and the federal government abandon the work of protecting our civil rights. go.bsky.app/BDkEqA7

"ICE's own policy changes set federal law enforcement on this collision course with state courts." @douglaskeith.bsky.social on the recent arrest of a Wisconsin state judge for allegedly obstructing an immigration arrest at her courthouse.

A federal judge has ordered certification of the November 2024 race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. We've updated our story that provides background on the dispute, and explains the high stakes.