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State Court

State court decisions and legal developments across all 50 states and territories. Coverage spans state supreme courts, appellate courts, and significant trial court rulings on family law, property, criminal justice, and more.

State Court
•4 min read
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

SJC Rules Juvenile Courts Can Grant CWOF for Firearms Charges

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that Juvenile Court judges may impose a continuance without a finding (CWOF) for juveniles charged with carrying a firearm without a license. The decision in Commonwealth v. Quahir Q. resolves a key question about sentencing options in juvenile firearms cases.

•Supreme Judicial Court ruled that juvenile judges can grant continuances without finding (CWOF) for firearms charges under G.L. c. 269, § 10(a)
•Court emphasized rehabilitative goals of juvenile justice system and statutory discretion granted to Juvenile Court judges
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State Court
•4 min read
Supreme Court of South Carolina

SC Supreme Court Denies Murder Defendant's Expert Witness Reimbursement

The South Carolina Supreme Court affirmed a trial court's denial of Kenneth Henry Eastwood's request for reimbursement of expert witness expenses from his murder trial. The court upheld the ruling that Eastwood was not entitled to compensation from the Commission on Indigent Defense for expert costs incurred during his defense.

•Supreme Court affirmed denial of expert witness expense reimbursement for murder defendant
•Case highlights complex framework governing indigent defense funding in South Carolina
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State Court
•5 min read
Supreme Court of South Carolina

SC Supreme Court Affirms Murder Conviction Despite Polygraph Evidence Error

The South Carolina Supreme Court affirmed Kenneth Henry Eastwood's murder conviction in the strangulation death of Cara Hodges, despite ruling the trial court erred in excluding polygraph evidence. The court applied harmless error doctrine, finding the evidentiary mistake did not affect the jury's verdict.

•South Carolina Supreme Court found trial court erred in excluding polygraph evidence but applied harmless error doctrine
•Court distinguished between inadmissible polygraph results and admissible evidence about examination process and psychological impact
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State Court
•4 min read
Supreme Court of South Dakota

South Dakota High Court Affirms $139K Attorney Fee Award in Sioux Falls Condemnation Case

The South Dakota Supreme Court affirmed a circuit court's decision to award Johnson Properties $139,724.60 in attorney fees after the City of Sioux Falls condemned property at Arrowhead Parkway and Six Mile Road. The city had challenged the fee amount as excessive after a jury awarded $382,600 in just compensation.

•South Dakota Supreme Court affirmed $139,724.60 attorney fee award to Johnson Properties in eminent domain case
•City of Sioux Falls condemned property at Arrowhead Parkway and Six Mile Road for roadway expansion project
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State Court
•4 min read
Supreme Court of South Dakota

S.D. Supreme Court: Pending Lawsuit Is Marital Asset in Divorce

The South Dakota Supreme Court affirmed a circuit court's decision to treat a husband's pending lawsuit against former business partners as a marital asset subject to division in divorce proceedings. The unanimous ruling in King v. King establishes precedent for how courts handle contingent legal claims during property division.

•South Dakota Supreme Court affirmed that pending business lawsuit constitutes marital asset in divorce
•Gary King unsuccessfully challenged circuit court's classification of his litigation as divisible property
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State Court
•4 min read
Supreme Court of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Supreme Court Reverses COVID-19 Nursing Home Liability Case

The Oklahoma Supreme Court reversed a district court's summary judgment ruling in favor of Greenbriar Skilled Nursing and Dr. Tom Snyder in a case brought by the surviving spouse of a deceased nursing home resident. The case involved interpretation of federal PREP Act and state COVID-19 liability protections.

•Oklahoma Supreme Court reversed district court summary judgment favoring nursing home and physician
•Case involves interpretation of federal PREP Act and state COVID-19 liability protections
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State Court
•4 min read
Supreme Court of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Supreme Court Amends Legal Internship Rules in Split Decision

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has amended its Licensed Legal Internship program rules in a divided decision, with changes to Rules 2 and 6 and Regulation 7 taking effect immediately. The court's 5-4 split reflects disagreement over the amendments, with three justices dissenting and one justice offering partial dissent.

•Oklahoma Supreme Court amends Licensed Legal Internship Rules 2, 6, and Regulation 7 effective immediately
•Decision splits court 5-4, with Vice Chief Justice Kuehn writing separate dissent joined by two justices
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State Court
•4 min read
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Massachusetts High Court Reverses Medical Malpractice Dismissal

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reversed a medical malpractice dismissal against nurse practitioner Michael Collins, holding that a tribunal erred in finding insufficient evidence. The court vacated the judgment after taking jurisdiction from the Appeals Court.

•Supreme Judicial Court reversed medical malpractice tribunal decision against nurse practitioner Michael Collins
•Court held tribunal incorrectly found insufficient evidence to proceed with malpractice claims
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State Court
•4 min read
Texas Supreme Court

Texas Supreme Court Limits Shareholder Rights in Third-Party Suits

The Texas Supreme Court ruled that individual shareholders cannot sue third parties based on agreements made with their corporate entity, holding that such claims must be pursued through derivative actions on behalf of the corporation.

•Texas Supreme Court ruled shareholders cannot sue third parties based on agreements with their corporate entity
•Court held that such claims must be pursued through derivative actions on behalf of the corporation
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State Court
•4 min read
Nebraska Supreme Court

Nebraska Supreme Court Rules on Criminal Continuance Standards

The Nebraska Supreme Court issued a decision in State v. Dawn on November 14, 2025, clarifying the standards for granting continuances in criminal cases and defining abuse of discretion parameters for trial courts.

•Court reaffirmed that continuance decisions in criminal cases rest within trial court discretion and require abuse of discretion for reversal
•Supreme Court defined abuse of discretion as decisions based on untenable or unreasonable grounds clearly against justice and evidence
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