The doctrines Florida courts name when they cite: mined from the sentence each citation lives in, keyed on the citing court, counted by distinct opinions. Entry by issue, not by case: pick one to see the cases on each side.
| # | Issue | Most-cited case | Opinions | Courts | Years | Last 5y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | fundamental error | State v. Delva | 1,771 | 7 | 1926–2026 | 188 |
| 2 | harmless error | State v. DiGuilio | 1,431 | 4 | 1891–2026 | 126 |
| 3 | abuse of discretion standard | Canakaris v. Canakaris | 1,373 | 3 | 1980–2026 | 200 |
| 4 | affirmative defense | Martinez v. State | 1,297 | 8 | 1907–2026 | 104 |
| 5 | de novo standard | Pagan v. State | 1,102 | 4 | 1978–2026 | 149 |
| 6 | due process clause | State v. Glosson | 985 | 13 | 1906–2026 | 67 |
| 7 | double jeopardy clause | Novaton v. State | 756 | 5 | 1965–2026 | 36 |
| 8 | reasonable doubt error | State v. DiGuilio | 748 | 4 | 1973–2026 | 62 |
| 9 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 639 | 8 | 1967–2026 | 21 |
| 10 | hearsay rule | Yisrael v. State | 612 | 5 | 1936–2026 | 36 |
| 11 | facially sufficient claim | Strickland v. Washington | 566 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 42 |
| 12 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 456 | 7 | 1959–2026 | 30 |
| 13 | Williams rule | Williams v. State | 418 | 3 | 1933–2026 | 22 |
| 14 | speedy trial rule | Butterworth in and for Broward Cty. v. Fluellen | 395 | 7 | 1969–2026 | 9 |
| 15 | Strickland standard | Strickland v. Washington | 390 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 28 |
| 16 | Richardson hearing | Richardson v. State | 369 | 3 | 1979–2025 | 27 |
| 17 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 343 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 21 |
| 18 | warrant requirement | Carroll v. United States | 316 | 5 | 1975–2026 | 16 |
| 19 | contemporaneous objection rule | State v. Delva | 314 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 24 |
| 20 | law of the case doctrine | Florida Dept. of Transp. v. Juliano | 309 | 2 | 1947–2026 | 33 |
| 21 | sovereign immunity | Commercial Carrier Corp. v. Indian River Cty. | 299 | 5 | 1962–2026 | 33 |
| 22 | Brady violation | Strickler v. Greene | 291 | 5 | 1969–2026 | 22 |
| 23 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 283 | 6 | 1966–2025 | 15 |
| 24 | separation of powers doctrine | Woods v. State | 277 | 4 | 1969–2026 | 16 |
| 25 | attorney-client privilege | Southern Bell Tel. & Tel. Co. v. Deason | 270 | 5 | 1967–2026 | 25 |
| 26 | ex post facto clause | Grant v. State | 245 | 3 | 1982–2026 | 8 |
| 27 | equal protection clause | Estate of Michelle Evette McCall v. United States | 244 | 8 | 1927–2025 | 6 |
| 28 | per se rule | Florida v. Bostick | 232 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 7 |
| 29 | Fourth Amendment violation | Whren v. United States | 225 | 4 | 1971–2025 | 17 |
| 30 | res judicata doctrine | Florida Dept. of Transp. v. Juliano | 225 | 8 | 1931–2025 | 12 |
| 31 | Faretta inquiry | Faretta v. California | 199 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 24 |
| 32 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 196 | 4 | 1979–2025 | 9 |
| 33 | dangerous instrumentality doctrine | Ormond v. State | 186 | 4 | 1958–2025 | 8 |
| 34 | Frye test | Frye v. United States | 180 | 3 | 1983–2026 | 5 |
| 35 | good faith exception | United States v. Leon | 175 | 2 | 1962–2026 | 15 |
| 36 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 175 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 16 |
| 37 | willful and substantial violation | State v. Carter | 175 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 22 |
| 38 | statute of limitations defense | Tucker v. State | 173 | 3 | 1972–2026 | 10 |
| 39 | Blockburger test | Blockburger v. United States | 171 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 6 |
| 40 | qualified privilege | Nodar v. Galbreath | 170 | 5 | 1907–2025 | 10 |
| 41 | Nelson inquiry | Nelson v. State | 167 | 2 | 1964–2026 | 15 |
| 42 | reasonable possibility error | State v. DiGuilio | 167 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 12 |
| 43 | probation revocation hearing | Salvatierra v. State | 164 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 10 |
| 44 | single-subject requirement | Fine v. Firestone | 161 | 3 | 1984–2024 | 4 |
| 45 | scoresheet error | Brooks v. State | 155 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 12 |
| 46 | work product privilege | Southern Bell Tel. & Tel. Co. v. Deason | 155 | 5 | 1961–2026 | 12 |
| 47 | newly discovered evidence claim | Jones v. State | 151 | 2 | 1992–2026 | 26 |
| 48 | forum selection clause | Manrique v. Fabbri | 148 | 3 | 1985–2026 | 37 |
| 49 | Neil inquiry | State v. Johans | 147 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 5 |
| 50 | business records exception | Yisrael v. State | 144 | 3 | 1982–2026 | 17 |
| 51 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 143 | 4 | 1968–2025 | 8 |
| 52 | economic loss rule | HTP, Ltd. v. Lineas Aereas Costarricenses | 141 | 3 | 1992–2019 | 0 |
| 53 | probable cause standard | Illinois v. Gates | 137 | 3 | 1973–2025 | 12 |
| 54 | bad faith claim | Blanchard v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. | 134 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 18 |
| 55 | punitive damages claim | Globe Newspaper Co. v. King | 129 | 2 | 1974–2026 | 40 |
| 56 | insanity defense | Parkin v. State | 127 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 7 |
| 57 | Anders brief | Anders v. California | 125 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 10 |
| 58 | Giglio violation | Guzman v. State | 125 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 10 |
| 59 | rational basis test | FLA. HIGH SCH. ACTIV. ASS'N, INC. v. Thomas | 125 | 4 | 1977–2025 | 5 |
| 60 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Faretta v. California | 124 | 3 | 1973–2026 | 3 |
| 61 | tipsy coachman doctrine | Robertson v. State | 120 | 2 | 2002–2026 | 27 |
| 62 | comparative negligence doctrine | Hoffman v. Jones | 116 | 2 | 1918–2024 | 1 |
| 63 | plain language rule | Willis Shaw Express, Inc. v. Hilyer Sod, Inc. | 114 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 9 |
| 64 | legally sufficient claim | Freeman v. State | 113 | 3 | 1979–2026 | 6 |
| 65 | parol evidence rule | Sears v. James Talcott, Inc. | 111 | 7 | 1928–2024 | 3 |
| 66 | self-defense instruction | Martinez v. State | 107 | 2 | 1972–2025 | 13 |
| 67 | Hurst error | Gary Czajkowski v. State of Florida | 106 | 1 | 2002–2026 | 6 |
| 68 | impact rule | RJ v. Humana of Florida, Inc. | 106 | 3 | 1966–2026 | 5 |
| 69 | motion to correct sentencing error | Willard v. State | 106 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 22 |
| 70 | respondeat superior doctrine | Williams v. Hines | 105 | 4 | 1920–2026 | 6 |
| 71 | circumstantial evidence standard | Jonathon Knight v. State of Florida | 104 | 2 | 1928–2025 | 3 |
| 72 | entrapment defense | Munoz v. State | 104 | 2 | 1963–2019 | 0 |
| 73 | voluntary intoxication defense | Linehan v. State | 104 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 2 |
| 74 | waiver of sovereign immunity | Trianon Park Condominium v. City of Hialeah | 104 | 4 | 1975–2026 | 17 |
| 75 | blood alcohol test | South Dakota v. Neville | 102 | 9 | 1967–2023 | 1 |
| 76 | cumulative error | Lightbourne v. State | 98 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 12 |
| 77 | Jones test | Jones v. State | 95 | 3 | 1975–2026 | 10 |
| 78 | collateral estoppel doctrine | State v. McBride | 93 | 3 | 1971–2025 | 11 |
| 79 | Kozel factors | Ham v. Dunmire | 93 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 31 |
| 80 | prima facie claim | Duren v. Missouri | 93 | 2 | 1939–2025 | 9 |
| 81 | vagueness challenge | Hoffman Estates v. Flipside, Hoffman Estates, Inc. | 91 | 4 | 1973–2025 | 6 |
| 82 | aggravating and mitigating factors | Urbin v. State | 89 | 3 | 1979–2025 | 3 |
| 83 | Sixth Amendment violation | Ring v. Arizona | 89 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 12 |
| 84 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 89 | 3 | 1981–2025 | 8 |
| 85 | claim of cumulative error | Griffin v. State | 88 | 2 | 2004–2026 | 11 |
| 86 | forum non conveniens doctrine | Kinney System, Inc. v. Continental Ins. Co. | 88 | 2 | 1954–2024 | 14 |
| 87 | felony-murder rule | Adams v. State | 86 | 3 | 1966–2025 | 2 |
| 88 | scrutiny standard | TM v. State | 86 | 4 | 1977–2021 | 2 |
| 89 | Eighth Amendment challenge | Baze v. Rees | 85 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 10 |
| 90 | clear showing error | Ramirez v. State | 84 | 2 | 1958–2026 | 3 |
| 91 | estoppel doctrine | Parker v. Dinsmore Company | 84 | 4 | 1904–2024 | 5 |
| 92 | bench bar | Baruch v. Giblen | 83 | 3 | 1912–2019 | 0 |
| 93 | generally accepted rule | OBS Co., Inc. v. Pace Const. Corp. | 83 | 5 | 1905–2026 | 7 |
| 94 | invited error | Goodwin v. State | 83 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 13 |
| 95 | prejudicial error | Lewis v. State | 83 | 3 | 1933–2026 | 9 |
| 96 | cognizable claim | Waterhouse v. State | 82 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 4 |
| 97 | equitable estoppel doctrine | Major League Baseball v. Morsani | 82 | 5 | 1956–2025 | 7 |
| 98 | Spencer hearing | Spencer v. State | 82 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 15 |
| 99 | agency rule | Agrico Chemical Co. v. STATE, ETC. | 81 | 4 | 1974–2026 | 7 |
| 100 | clear and convincing standard | Slomowitz v. Walker | 81 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 6 |
| 101 | interpretation rule | City of Freeport v. Beach Community Bank | 81 | 3 | 1959–2025 | 2 |
| 102 | Johnson claim | Strickland v. Washington | 81 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 7 |
| 103 | mailbox rule | Haag v. State | 81 | 2 | 1992–2026 | 7 |
| 104 | Ring claim | Doorbal v. State | 81 | 1 | 2002–2023 | 1 |
| 105 | second prong test | Jones v. State | 81 | 2 | 1981–2024 | 8 |
| 106 | statutory construction analysis | State v. JM | 81 | 3 | 1974–2024 | 5 |
| 107 | version rule | State v. Montgomery | 81 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 10 |
| 108 | conducted hearing | Richardson v. State | 80 | 2 | 1966–2023 | 5 |
| 109 | plain view doctrine | Coolidge v. New Hampshire | 80 | 4 | 1973–2026 | 3 |
| 110 | hearing rule | Hembd v. Dauria | 79 | 3 | 1955–2025 | 6 |
| 111 | Apprendi error | Apprendi v. New Jersey | 78 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 12 |
| 112 | scientific principle | Ramirez v. State | 78 | 5 | 1979–2019 | 0 |
| 113 | witness defense | State v. Jones | 78 | 3 | 1904–2026 | 3 |
| 114 | bond hearing | State v. Arthur | 77 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 9 |
| 115 | concluded error | Coney v. State | 77 | 2 | 1966–2025 | 3 |
| 116 | faith and credit clause | Milliken v. Meyer | 77 | 4 | 1922–2017 | 0 |
| 117 | insurance claim | Palm Bay Towers Corp. v. Brooks | 77 | 2 | 1965–2022 | 5 |
| 118 | venue privilege | Enfinger v. Baxley | 77 | 2 | 1957–2026 | 5 |
| 119 | elementary principle | Hechtman v. Nations Title Ins. of New York | 76 | 3 | 1899–2025 | 14 |
| 120 | preponderance of the evidence standard | Singletary v. State | 76 | 2 | 1963–2026 | 12 |
| 121 | inevitable discovery doctrine | Nix v. Williams | 75 | 2 | 1983–2025 | 6 |
| 122 | First Amendment privilege | Branzburg v. Hayes | 74 | 5 | 1976–2025 | 10 |
| 123 | home rule | Chase v. Cowart | 74 | 4 | 1957–2026 | 3 |
| 124 | implied waiver | Clark v. State | 74 | 5 | 1907–2025 | 7 |
| 125 | laches doctrine | McCray v. State | 74 | 3 | 1934–2026 | 6 |
| 126 | quantitative analysis | Urbin v. State | 74 | 2 | 1970–2020 | 0 |
| 127 | sentence rule | Daniels v. State | 72 | 2 | 1947–2016 | 0 |
| 128 | standing requirement | Sosa v. SAFEWAY PREMIUM FINANCE CO. | 72 | 3 | 1974–2024 | 7 |
| 129 | first prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 71 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 6 |
| 130 | fundamental sentencing error | Maddox v. State | 71 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 11 |
| 131 | manslaughter instruction | State v. Montgomery | 71 | 2 | 1985–2019 | 0 |
| 132 | existing rule | Canakaris v. Canakaris | 70 | 3 | 1910–2026 | 2 |
| 133 | merger doctrine | Jenkins v. Eckerd Corp. | 70 | 2 | 1938–2026 | 8 |
| 134 | overbreadth doctrine | Broadrick v. Oklahoma | 70 | 4 | 1973–2023 | 2 |
| 135 | lesser standard | Kohn v. City of Miami Beach | 69 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 5 |
| 136 | pleading requirement | Stockman v. Downs | 69 | 2 | 1963–2025 | 12 |
| 137 | State properly concedes error | Tripp v. State | 69 | 1 | 1990–2026 | 5 |
| 138 | successive rule | Jimenez v. State | 69 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 11 |
| 139 | comprehensive analysis | Anderson v. State | 68 | 2 | 1934–2021 | 1 |
| 140 | Engle progeny | Engle v. Liggett Group, Inc. | 68 | 2 | 2010–2026 | 11 |
| 141 | forcible felony exception | Martinez v. State | 68 | 2 | 2004–2026 | 6 |
| 142 | meritless claim | Rutherford v. Moore | 67 | 2 | 2000–2024 | 4 |
| 143 | vehicle challenge | State v. Broom | 67 | 3 | 1954–2026 | 11 |
| 144 | proportionality analysis | Solem v. Helm | 66 | 2 | 1993–2025 | 2 |
| 145 | Smith claim | Smith v. State | 66 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 5 |
| 146 | alibi defense | Wiggins v. State | 65 | 3 | 1935–2025 | 3 |
| 147 | Brown motion | Strickland v. Washington | 65 | 2 | 1975–2023 | 1 |
| 148 | contempt hearing | Russ v. State | 65 | 2 | 1961–2025 | 5 |
| 149 | severability clause | Ray v. Mortham | 64 | 2 | 1956–2026 | 4 |
| 150 | stare decisis doctrine | NORTH FLA. WOMEN'S HEALTH SERVICES v. State | 64 | 3 | 1938–2026 | 6 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.