The doctrines Georgia 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 | enumeration error | Jackson v. Virginia | 1,695 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 125 |
| 2 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 1,067 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 270 |
| 3 | affirmative defense | Booker v. State | 848 | 2 | 1911–2026 | 118 |
| 4 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 727 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 65 |
| 5 | de novo standard | Lau's Corp., Inc. v. Haskins | 674 | 2 | 1934–2026 | 106 |
| 6 | hearsay rule | CHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION v. Davis | 665 | 2 | 1916–2026 | 52 |
| 7 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 605 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 141 |
| 8 | plain error | State v. Kelly | 556 | 2 | 1912–2026 | 208 |
| 9 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 555 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 114 |
| 10 | due process clause | Chatman v. Mancill | 504 | 2 | 1913–2026 | 75 |
| 11 | enumerations error | Crider v. State | 422 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 15 |
| 12 | sovereign immunity | Gilbert v. Richardson | 420 | 2 | 1945–2026 | 71 |
| 13 | Jackson-Denno hearing | Jackson v. Denno | 394 | 2 | 1974–2026 | 22 |
| 14 | defendant raises a colorable claim | Burg v. State | 391 | 1 | 2012–2026 | 53 |
| 15 | Brady violation | Brady v. Maryland | 359 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 39 |
| 16 | fundamental rule | Hambrick v. State | 337 | 2 | 1901–2026 | 35 |
| 17 | abuse of discretion standard | Reed v. State | 323 | 2 | 1930–2026 | 55 |
| 18 | merger clause | Dixon v. State | 286 | 2 | 1933–2026 | 92 |
| 19 | deficiency prejudiced defense | Strickland v. Washington | 271 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 10 |
| 20 | discretion to remedy error | State v. Kelly | 270 | 2 | 2011–2026 | 102 |
| 21 | party alleging error | Boles v. Lee | 259 | 2 | 1950–2026 | 53 |
| 22 | reasonable doubt standard | Jackson v. Virginia | 252 | 2 | 1914–2026 | 44 |
| 23 | Batson challenge | Batson v. Kentucky | 244 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 12 |
| 24 | waiver of sovereign immunity | Georgia Department of Labor v. Rtt Associates, Inc. | 238 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 52 |
| 25 | harmless error | Johnson v. State | 237 | 2 | 1903–2026 | 47 |
| 26 | knowing and intelligent waiver | State v. Evans | 224 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 15 |
| 27 | Fourth Amendment violation | Whren v. United States | 222 | 2 | 1974–2026 | 29 |
| 28 | justification defense | Anthony v. State | 222 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 66 |
| 29 | necessity exception | Chapel v. State | 219 | 2 | 1918–2023 | 7 |
| 30 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 218 | 2 | 1903–2025 | 20 |
| 31 | res judicata doctrine | Northwest Social and Civic Club, Inc. v. Franklin | 218 | 2 | 1906–2026 | 17 |
| 32 | warrant requirement | Williams v. State | 206 | 2 | 1915–2026 | 20 |
| 33 | ruling error | Payne v. State | 203 | 2 | 1900–2026 | 42 |
| 34 | enumerated error | Davenport v. State | 201 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 24 |
| 35 | basis for an ineffectiveness claim | Strickland v. Washington | 195 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 105 |
| 36 | equal protection clause | Grissom v. Gleason | 193 | 2 | 1935–2026 | 15 |
| 37 | law of the case rule | Ross v. State | 186 | 2 | 1921–2026 | 52 |
| 38 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 184 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 36 |
| 39 | guilty plea hearing | Roberts v. Greenway | 179 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 16 |
| 40 | interlocutory hearing | Collins v. Carr | 172 | 2 | 1895–2023 | 1 |
| 41 | equal access rule | State v. Johnson | 165 | 2 | 1978–2020 | 0 |
| 42 | respondeat superior doctrine | Chattooga County v. Megginson | 165 | 2 | 1928–2026 | 15 |
| 43 | alibi defense | Caldwell v. State | 158 | 2 | 1911–2025 | 11 |
| 44 | collateral order doctrine | Board of Regents v. Canas | 156 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 41 |
| 45 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 156 | 2 | 1977–2025 | 4 |
| 46 | Jackson v. Denno hearing | Jackson v. Denno | 155 | 2 | 1974–2018 | 0 |
| 47 | speedy trial claim | Barker v. Wingo | 155 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 21 |
| 48 | motion to suppress hearing | Pittman v. State | 154 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 15 |
| 49 | second prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 148 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 11 |
| 50 | burden of showing error | Williams v. State | 147 | 2 | 1906–2026 | 12 |
| 51 | elementary rule | Beasley v. Horkan | 147 | 2 | 1899–2022 | 1 |
| 52 | Barker factors | State v. Porter | 146 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 13 |
| 53 | abstract principle | Anderson v. Southern Railway Co. | 143 | 2 | 1900–2025 | 1 |
| 54 | double jeopardy clause | State v. Estevez | 142 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 8 |
| 55 | official immunity | Gilbert v. Richardson | 139 | 2 | 1902–2026 | 16 |
| 56 | inconsistent verdict rule | Milam v. State | 138 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 6 |
| 57 | Sixth Amendment claim | Strickland v. Washington | 138 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 12 |
| 58 | right for any reason rule | City of Gainesville v. Dodd | 136 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 21 |
| 59 | commitment hearing | State v. Middlebrooks | 134 | 2 | 1942–2022 | 1 |
| 60 | Bruton violation | Bruton v. United States | 133 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 10 |
| 61 | Williams motion | Jackson v. Virginia | 133 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 14 |
| 62 | implied consent warning | Perano v. State | 126 | 2 | 1979–2025 | 4 |
| 63 | preponderance of the evidence standard | Vergara v. State | 126 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 28 |
| 64 | sound rule | Dill v. State | 125 | 2 | 1891–2025 | 8 |
| 65 | motion seeking challenge | Roberts v. State | 123 | 1 | 2012–2026 | 56 |
| 66 | charge contained error | Williams v. State | 122 | 2 | 1979–2025 | 4 |
| 67 | valid void-sentence claim | Williams v. State | 111 | 2 | 2012–2026 | 16 |
| 68 | Smith motion | Strickland v. Washington | 108 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 21 |
| 69 | res gestae exception | Andrews v. State | 107 | 2 | 1957–2017 | 0 |
| 70 | breach standard | Bradley Center, Inc. v. Wessner | 106 | 2 | 1932–2025 | 13 |
| 71 | cumulative error | State v. Lane | 106 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 44 |
| 72 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 106 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 5 |
| 73 | first prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 105 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 12 |
| 74 | first enumeration error | Jackson v. Virginia | 104 | 2 | 1966–2014 | 0 |
| 75 | affirmative showing error | Shaw v. State | 98 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 28 |
| 76 | plain view doctrine | Coolidge v. New Hampshire | 98 | 2 | 1974–2024 | 8 |
| 77 | conviction instruction | Jackson v. Virginia | 97 | 2 | 1891–2025 | 3 |
| 78 | motion raises a colorable claim | Frazier v. State | 97 | 1 | 2012–2026 | 44 |
| 79 | plain legal error | Suarez v. Halbert | 97 | 1 | 1998–2025 | 12 |
| 80 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 96 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 11 |
| 81 | blood alcohol test | South Dakota v. Neville | 95 | 2 | 1966–2025 | 5 |
| 82 | fatal variance rule | De Palma v. State | 94 | 2 | 1974–2026 | 11 |
| 83 | bench bar | Owens v. State | 93 | 2 | 1905–2025 | 6 |
| 84 | conducted hearing | Jackson v. Denno | 93 | 2 | 1972–2025 | 5 |
| 85 | Johnson motion | Strickland v. Washington | 92 | 2 | 1918–2026 | 16 |
| 86 | insanity defense | Paul v. State | 91 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 21 |
| 87 | State-administered test | State v. Frost | 91 | 2 | 1983–2023 | 5 |
| 88 | witness defense | Strickland v. Washington | 91 | 2 | 1910–2025 | 6 |
| 89 | parol evidence rule | First Data POS, Inc. v. Willis | 90 | 2 | 1910–2025 | 4 |
| 90 | constitutional speedy trial claim | Barker v. Wingo | 89 | 2 | 2003–2026 | 15 |
| 91 | evidence adduced hearing | Jackson v. Virginia | 89 | 2 | 1904–2021 | 2 |
| 92 | per se rule | Sabel v. State | 88 | 2 | 1970–2024 | 6 |
| 93 | prima facie presumption | Kreitlein v. Ferger | 87 | 2 | 1903–2021 | 2 |
| 94 | collateral estoppel doctrine | Ashe v. Swenson | 86 | 2 | 1970–2023 | 8 |
| 95 | where proper exception | Williams v. State | 85 | 2 | 1958–2026 | 16 |
| 96 | Barker-Doggett factors | Ruffin v. State | 84 | 2 | 2008–2025 | 20 |
| 97 | family purpose doctrine | Griffin v. Russell | 84 | 2 | 1932–2022 | 3 |
| 98 | Jones motion | Gibbons v. State | 83 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 12 |
| 99 | ease bar | Hall v. State | 82 | 2 | 1900–1963 | 0 |
| 100 | jury charge constitutes plain error | State v. Kelly | 82 | 2 | 2010–2026 | 29 |
| 101 | burden of proving error | King v. State | 81 | 2 | 1940–2026 | 18 |
| 102 | Jackson standard | Jackson v. Virginia | 81 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 21 |
| 103 | results test | State v. Chambers | 81 | 2 | 1912–2024 | 3 |
| 104 | colorable void-sentence claim | Frazier v. State | 80 | 1 | 2012–2025 | 28 |
| 105 | opponent of a peremptory challenge | Chandler v. State | 80 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 8 |
| 106 | res ipsa loquitur doctrine | Chenall v. Palmer Brick Co. | 80 | 2 | 1903–2022 | 1 |
| 107 | second enumeration error | Miranda v. Arizona | 79 | 2 | 1966–2022 | 1 |
| 108 | attorney-client privilege | Upjohn Co. v. United States | 78 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 10 |
| 109 | contention error | Williams v. Lemon | 78 | 2 | 1916–2026 | 5 |
| 110 | pattern jury instruction | Brodes v. State | 78 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 24 |
| 111 | transaction hearing | Williams v. State | 78 | 2 | 1975–2020 | 0 |
| 112 | knowing and voluntary waiver | Hobson v. State | 77 | 2 | 1979–2023 | 9 |
| 113 | business records exception | Brown v. State | 76 | 2 | 1976–2025 | 10 |
| 114 | faith and credit clause | Cureton v. Cureton | 75 | 2 | 1907–2025 | 4 |
| 115 | good faith exception | Gary v. State | 75 | 2 | 1883–2025 | 11 |
| 116 | continuing witness rule | Rainwater v. State | 74 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 19 |
| 117 | adverse claim | Jay v. Whelchel | 73 | 2 | 1897–2025 | 2 |
| 118 | entrapment defense | Keaton v. State | 73 | 2 | 1974–2016 | 0 |
| 119 | harmful error | General GMC Trucks, Inc. v. Crockett | 73 | 2 | 1948–2025 | 2 |
| 120 | mistrial error | Osteen v. State | 73 | 2 | 1928–2024 | 3 |
| 121 | clear or obvious error | Gates v. State | 72 | 2 | 2011–2026 | 33 |
| 122 | contempt hearing | Dowdy v. Palmour | 72 | 2 | 1949–2026 | 12 |
| 123 | required evidence test | Drinkard v. Walker | 72 | 2 | 1995–2026 | 20 |
| 124 | rico claim | Nicholson v. WINDHAM | 72 | 2 | 1984–2025 | 9 |
| 125 | accident defense | State v. Ogilvie | 71 | 2 | 1962–2026 | 16 |
| 126 | self-defense claim | Worthem v. State | 71 | 2 | 1910–2026 | 33 |
| 127 | HGN test | Hawkins v. State | 70 | 2 | 1992–2025 | 11 |
| 128 | direct exception | Driver v. State | 68 | 2 | 1894–2026 | 12 |
| 129 | probable cause analysis | State v. Bryant | 68 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 11 |
| 130 | comparative negligence doctrine | Bridges Farms, Inc. v. Blue | 67 | 2 | 1907–2024 | 1 |
| 131 | accused presumption | State v. Johnson | 66 | 2 | 1900–2021 | 1 |
| 132 | pre-sentence hearing | Strozier v. State | 66 | 2 | 1971–2025 | 3 |
| 133 | statute of limitation defense | Humphrey v. State | 66 | 2 | 1963–2025 | 11 |
| 134 | defense of sovereign immunity | Toombs County v. O'NEAL | 65 | 2 | 1981–2023 | 5 |
| 135 | probation revocation hearing | Gagnon v. Scarpelli | 63 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 10 |
| 136 | stare decisis doctrine | State v. Hudson | 63 | 2 | 1890–2024 | 15 |
| 137 | Brown motion | Little Rapids Corp. v. McCamy | 62 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 8 |
| 138 | collateral source rule | Polito v. Holland | 62 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 5 |
| 139 | disputed claim | Murphy v. Morse | 62 | 2 | 1906–2024 | 4 |
| 140 | qualified immunity | Cameron v. Lang | 62 | 2 | 1927–2025 | 4 |
| 141 | sequestration rule | Davis v. State | 62 | 2 | 1965–2022 | 2 |
| 142 | wrongful death claim | Wesley Chapel Foot & Ankle Center, LLC v. Johnson | 62 | 2 | 1967–2024 | 14 |
| 143 | personal privilege | Key v. State | 61 | 2 | 1849–2024 | 2 |
| 144 | pleading requirement | Bowen v. Adams | 61 | 2 | 1972–2025 | 10 |
| 145 | bill of exceptions assigning error | Pickens v. Pickens | 60 | 2 | 1895–1966 | 0 |
| 146 | Davis motion | Johnson v. State | 60 | 2 | 1976–2025 | 8 |
| 147 | essential element claim | Marques v. Ross | 60 | 2 | 1924–2025 | 5 |
| 148 | Harris motion | Harper v. State | 60 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 14 |
| 149 | party seeking waiver | Taylor v. Curl | 60 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 7 |
| 150 | presentence hearing | Munsford v. State | 60 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 7 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.