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Why can a state supreme court have the final word on a question of state law?

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Wood-paneled courtroom with judge's bench, American and Nevada flags, wooden chairs and tables, and a mounted animal head above the bench in the Esmeralda County courthouse, Goldfield, Nevada. — Court Judge's bench in a courtroom in Nevada, U.S.

A state supreme court serves as the final authority on matters of state law because, within the United States' federal system, state courts hold the ultimate power to interpret their own state statutes and constitutions.12

While the U.S. Supreme Court sits at the top of the national judicial hierarchy, its appellate jurisdiction is limited to cases involving federal questions—such as those arising under the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, or treaties. If a legal case involves only a question of state law, there is no federal issue for the U.S. Supreme Court to review, making the state supreme court the court of last resort.324

This structure reflects the division of power in a federal system, where states retain authority over their own legal frameworks unless those laws conflict with the national Constitution or federal law. Consequently, when a state statute is challenged as violating a state constitution, the state supreme court provides the final, binding interpretation.21