State of Justice: June 2026 Keep Your Eyes On
Florida
Voting rights group urge Florida Supreme Court to put new congressional lines on hold
Voting rights advocates are challenging the 2026 congressional maps that give Republicans the opportunity to pick up four potential seats before the state supreme court in the days before the candidate filing deadline on June 12. The challenge is to prevent the recently drawn 2026 maps from going into effect and to reinstate the 2022 congressional maps. The groups are claiming the maps violate the state’s ban on partisan gerrymandering, which Florida voters passed in 2010.
Hawaii
Hawaii Supreme Court considers whether refusing sobriety tests is evidence of guilt
Yuki Gleason was pulled over after being seen swerving on the road by police officers. Gleason refused a field sobriety test and was subsequently arrested. At the police station, she failed the breath test and had a 0.140 BAC. Currently, state law counts refusal of a sobriety test as evidence of intoxication. Gleason’s attorneys and the ACLU of Hawaii are challenging that standard, arguing that refusal to cooperate should not be synonymous with guilt.
Indiana
Indiana Supreme Court Hears Late Warrant Arguments In Child Porn Case
Currently, Indiana law requires that warrants be executed within 10 days of its issuance, but what happens when a warrant is executed 14 days after it was issued? The Indiana Supreme Court must now determine the validity of evidence obtained against Connor Bosworth, a man convicted of 33 counts of felony child exploitation and possession of child sex abuse material. Bosworth’s attorney argued that the evidence obtained should not have been admitted as evidence by the lower courts. Bosworth’s attorneys, while at the trial level, originally sought to suppress that evidence because it violated the 1981 statute. His attorneys are also challenging his sentence.
Maine
“Protect Girls Sports” Ballot Question Controversy Appealed to Maine Supreme Court
The Maine Supreme Court may decide if an anti-trans referendum, led by Protect Girls Sports in Maine, seeking to limit trans athletes’ participation in school sports, improperly gathered signatures. In March of this year, the language was validated by the secretary of state. However, three individuals challenged the referendum claiming some of the signatures were improperly gathered, and the secretary of state reversed her decision. Protect Girls Sports in Maine challenged the decision in superior court and lost. Now, they have filed an appeal before the state supreme court.
Minnesota
Minnesota Minneapolis Early-Voting Staffing Challenge
The Minnesota Voters Alliance, a conservative advocacy group, is asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to order all Minneapolis early voting centers in the state to have a temporary, appointed bipartisan election judge present. MVA claims that state law mandates that only certain tasks may be performed by election judges. Voting rights advocates claim this lawsuit is an attempt to undermine confidence in the upcoming elections.
New Mexico
3 Republicans appeal universal childcare lawsuit to New Mexico Supreme Court
Three New Mexico Republicans are suing state officials over the recently enacted universal childcare program. The conservatives allege that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and state officials circumvented legislative approval when implementing the program. One of the plaintiffs is Duke Rodriguez, who used to run the Human Services Department, and similarly sued for implementing programs without legislative approval. The Republicans lost in the district court and have appealed to the supreme court.
North Carolina
New Filing Asks North Carolina Supreme Court to Revisit Marijuana Odor Search Ruling
Benjamin Kull, a North Carolina attorney, is asking the state supreme court to revisit a unanimous decision from May finding that police may justify a search based on the “totality of the circumstances.” In other words, the smell of marijuana may be used as a reason for a search in conjunction with other factors. Kull is asking the court to reopen oral arguments to revisit and distinguish whether the scent of marijuana alone is enough to justify a search.
Ohio
Ohio Supreme Court asked to halt Lordstown data center freeze
A months-long battle over a data center construction proposal in Lordstown, OH, may be settled by the Ohio Supreme Court. Beginning in October 2025, Bristolville 25 Developer LLC and BHGH Properties LLC applied to build a data center. At the same time, the village council was debating a ban on data center construction. The ban passed, and the developers’ plan was denied. While that ban was repealed a month later, the town settled on an 180-day moratorium. Shortly before it was set to expire, the town moved to extend the moratorium through the end of 2026. Now, the developers are asking the Ohio Supreme Court to step in, arguing they had the right to build when their application was originally submitted in October. Lordstown argues that its original application was incomplete.
Pennsylvania
PA Supreme Court to hear Pottstown’s appeal of rental inspection lawsuit
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will review Pottstown’s’ rental inspection ordinance. In order for a property to receive a rental license, it has to be inspected. Under previous regulations, if inspectors were denied entry, Pottstown would get administrative warrants in order to compel a search. The law was recently amended to allow for a private inspection that meets the borough’s requirements. A libertarian group is challenging the requirements, arguing the borough has no foundation for probable cause or code violation to inspect the property.
Virginia
Community and nonprofit groups take Chesterfield fight to Supreme Court of Virginia
Environmental groups, civil rights advocates, and advocacy groups are challenging the state’s approval of the construction of a new Dominion gas plant in Chesterfield County before the Supreme Court of Virginia. The groups argue that the state failed to meet the requirements of the Virginia Environmental Justice Act, failed to obtain a reliable cost estimate, and allowed Dominion to circumvent its energy-efficiency requirements and still recoup funds through a rate readjustment.
Washington
Washington Supreme Court hears lawsuit against Horse Heavens wind and solar project
The Yakama Nation is challenging the construction of a new wind and solar plant because of its proposed location. The Yakama Nation says the plant would be built on a sacred place for the tribe. Benton County and Tri-Cities CARES are also challenging the plant’s construction, arguing that the review process was plagued by multiple procedural errors. The case is currently before the Washington Supreme Court.
Wyoming
Another Birth Certificate Sex Change Case Hits Wyoming Supreme Court
A second transgender Wyoming resident is asking the state supreme court to step in after the state denied providing an altered birth certificate showing a different sex and name. In the other appeal pending before the state supreme court, the plaintiff is also challenging the constitutionality of the state’s What is a Woman Act.
Wyoming Supreme Court considers constitutionality of crossover-voting ban
Historically, Wyoming had semi-open primaries, meaning that a voter could only vote in a primary for the party they were registered with, and allowed for voters to change their party registration through Election Day. However, the state passed a crossover voting ban preventing voters from switching parties within 96 days before the election. Now, the state supreme court is hearing oral arguments challenging the ban.
