The doctrines Hawaii 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 | abuse of discretion standard | Kealoha v. County of Hawaii | 423 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 98 |
| 2 | due process clause | In the Interest of Doe | 260 | 2 | 1928–2026 | 53 |
| 3 | reasonable possibility error | State v. Nichols | 254 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 51 |
| 4 | plain error | State v. Kelekolio | 251 | 2 | 1923–2026 | 38 |
| 5 | reasonable doubt standard | State v. Balisbisana | 156 | 2 | 1950–2026 | 29 |
| 6 | fundamental principle | In Re Water Use Permit Applications | 141 | 2 | 1920–2026 | 12 |
| 7 | affirmative defense | GECC Financial Corp. v. Jaffarian | 136 | 2 | 1911–2026 | 21 |
| 8 | potentially meritorious defense | State v. Antone | 136 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 31 |
| 9 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 120 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 34 |
| 10 | collateral order doctrine | Greer v. Baker. | 119 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 70 |
| 11 | hearsay rule | State v. Moore | 114 | 2 | 1927–2026 | 15 |
| 12 | mootness doctrine | Hamilton Ex Rel. Lethem v. Lethem | 111 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 37 |
| 13 | points error | Okada Trucking Co. v. Board of Water Supply | 108 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 50 |
| 14 | double jeopardy clause | State v. Rogan | 96 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 13 |
| 15 | warrant requirement | State v. Kaluna | 95 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 10 |
| 16 | contested case hearing | Pub. Access Shoreline v. HAWAII CTY PLANNING COMMISSION | 91 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 35 |
| 17 | exclusionary rule | State v. Lopez | 85 | 2 | 1931–2025 | 7 |
| 18 | de novo standard | State v. Navas | 77 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 9 |
| 19 | Forgay doctrine | Greer v. Baker. | 77 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 54 |
| 20 | harmless error | State v. Pauline | 72 | 2 | 1974–2026 | 7 |
| 21 | appeal to show error | Bettencourt v. Bettencourt | 56 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 43 |
| 22 | equal protection clause | Baehr v. Lewin | 56 | 2 | 1928–2024 | 2 |
| 23 | sovereign immunity | Sierra Club v. Department of Transportation of the State | 54 | 2 | 1958–2025 | 7 |
| 24 | confrontation clause | Ohio v. Roberts | 53 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 5 |
| 25 | mere legal error | Kema v. Gaddis | 53 | 2 | 1972–2023 | 9 |
| 26 | ICA analysis | State v. Nobriga | 52 | 2 | 1992–2023 | 6 |
| 27 | and pacific reporter defendant | Tachibana v. State | 51 | 1 | 2010–2026 | 44 |
| 28 | promptness of a curative instruction | State v. Samuel | 51 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 7 |
| 29 | res judicata doctrine | Kauhane v. Acutron Co., Inc. | 51 | 2 | 1909–2022 | 2 |
| 30 | unanimity instruction | State v. Arceo | 50 | 2 | 1996–2025 | 8 |
| 31 | construction standard | State v. Motta | 46 | 2 | 1896–2026 | 8 |
| 32 | good faith challenge | State v. Sinagoga | 46 | 2 | 1965–2025 | 5 |
| 33 | public interest exception | Hamilton Ex Rel. Lethem v. Lethem | 46 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 20 |
| 34 | agency hearing | Pele Defense Fund v. Puna Geothermal Venture | 45 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 10 |
| 35 | rational basis test | Baehr v. Lewin | 45 | 2 | 1972–2024 | 6 |
| 36 | crucial inquiry | Life of the Land v. LAND USE COM'N, ETC. | 43 | 2 | 1955–2025 | 4 |
| 37 | instruction on every defense | State v. O'DANIEL | 42 | 2 | 1980–2024 | 1 |
| 38 | field sobriety test | State v. Wyatt | 39 | 2 | 1984–2025 | 11 |
| 39 | plain language rule | Barker v. Young. | 38 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 8 |
| 40 | public trust doctrine | In Re Water Use Permit Applications | 37 | 2 | 1973–2025 | 10 |
| 41 | showing of a colorable claim | Dan v. State | 36 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 15 |
| 42 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | State v. Silva | 34 | 2 | 1989–2024 | 5 |
| 43 | decision carries presumption | Sussel v. Civil Service Commission | 33 | 2 | 1984–2024 | 6 |
| 44 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Malloy v. Hogan | 33 | 2 | 1970–2020 | 0 |
| 45 | per se rule | Atlantic Richfield Co. v. USA Petroleum Co. | 33 | 2 | 1977–2025 | 2 |
| 46 | purpose of correcting error | Bush v. Hawaiian Homes Commission | 33 | 2 | 1942–2026 | 6 |
| 47 | Intoxilyzer test | State v. Souza | 32 | 2 | 1985–2021 | 3 |
| 48 | stare decisis doctrine | Robinson v. Ariyoshi | 32 | 2 | 1913–2025 | 4 |
| 49 | totality of the circumstances test | State v. Ah Loo | 32 | 2 | 1994–2025 | 6 |
| 50 | law of the case doctrine | Hussey v. Say. | 31 | 2 | 1914–2025 | 14 |
| 51 | collateral estoppel doctrine | Dorrance v. Lee | 30 | 2 | 1975–2022 | 1 |
| 52 | justification defense | State v. Crouser | 30 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 4 |
| 53 | medical rule | State v. Skapinok. | 30 | 2 | 1970–2024 | 12 |
| 54 | standing inquiry | Citizens for the Protection of the North Kohala Coastline Ex Rel. Withington v. County of Hawai'i | 30 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 5 |
| 55 | elementary principle | State v. Yabusaki | 29 | 2 | 1902–2026 | 3 |
| 56 | Hawaii rule | Inoue v. Inoue | 29 | 2 | 1980–2023 | 1 |
| 57 | jury a specific unanimity instruction | State v. Arceo | 29 | 2 | 1996–2024 | 2 |
| 58 | attorney-client privilege | Save Sunset Beach Coalition v. City and County of Honolulu | 28 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 4 |
| 59 | interpretation rule | Cresencia v. Kim | 28 | 2 | 1978–2022 | 1 |
| 60 | private attorney general doctrine | In re the Water Use Permit Applications | 28 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 11 |
| 61 | qualified privilege | Russell v. American Guild of Variety Artists | 28 | 2 | 1939–2026 | 4 |
| 62 | righVwrong standard | Amantiad v. Odum | 28 | 2 | 1995–2017 | 0 |
| 63 | Fourth Amendment violation | Rakas v. Illinois | 27 | 2 | 1978–2024 | 1 |
| 64 | merger instruction | State v. Padilla | 27 | 2 | 1906–2026 | 8 |
| 65 | opportunity for agency hearing | Bush v. Hawaiian Homes Commission | 27 | 2 | 1977–2025 | 7 |
| 66 | preponderance of the evidence standard | Masaki v. General Motors Corp. | 27 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 7 |
| 67 | public policy exception | Inlandboatmen's Union v. Sause Bros., Inc. | 27 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 3 |
| 68 | emed defense | State v. Espiritu | 26 | 2 | 1995–2025 | 6 |
| 69 | udap claim | Lima, Jr. v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company | 26 | 2 | 2009–2026 | 19 |
| 70 | parol evidence rule | Midkiff v. Castle & Cooke, Inc. | 25 | 2 | 1962–2025 | 4 |
| 71 | Hawai'i rule | Wong v. Takeuchi | 24 | 2 | 1994–2019 | 0 |
| 72 | waiver of sovereign immunity | Taylor-Rice v. State | 24 | 2 | 1964–2025 | 5 |
| 73 | first prong test | Life of the Land v. LAND USE COM'N, ETC. | 23 | 2 | 1981–2024 | 2 |
| 74 | included offense instruction | State v. Haanio | 23 | 2 | 1995–2022 | 1 |
| 75 | knowing and voluntary waiver | State v. Murray | 23 | 2 | 1992–2025 | 2 |
| 76 | laches doctrine | Adair v. Hustace | 23 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 7 |
| 77 | lesser included offense instruction | State v. Haanio | 23 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 3 |
| 78 | poisonous tree doctrine | State v. Fukusaku | 23 | 2 | 1964–2026 | 8 |
| 79 | colloquy requirement | Tachibana v. State | 22 | 2 | 1995–2021 | 3 |
| 80 | danc plea | State v. Mun Chung Tom | 22 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 4 |
| 81 | legitimate claim | Sandy Beach Defense Fund v. City Council | 22 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 2 |
| 82 | scrutiny standard | City of Boerne v. Flores | 22 | 2 | 1978–2023 | 1 |
| 83 | stare decisis without some compelling justification doctrine | State v. Garcia | 22 | 2 | 2001–2025 | 3 |
| 84 | clear and convincing standard | Masaki v. General Motors Corp. | 21 | 2 | 1992–2025 | 6 |
| 85 | finality requirement | Ciesla v. Reddish | 21 | 2 | 1984–2022 | 3 |
| 86 | self-defense instruction | State v. Auld | 21 | 2 | 1993–2025 | 3 |
| 87 | sound principle | State v. Loa | 21 | 2 | 1889–2025 | 3 |
| 88 | essential elements claim | Ralston v. Yim. ICA Opinion, filed 05/31/2012. | 20 | 2 | 1995–2026 | 13 |
| 89 | exhaustion doctrine | Kona Old Hawaiian Trails Group Ex Rel. Serrano v. Lyman | 20 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 6 |
| 90 | frivolous claim | Coll v. McCarthy | 20 | 2 | 1991–2025 | 6 |
| 91 | generally accepted rule | State v. Rodrigues | 20 | 2 | 1920–2020 | 0 |
| 92 | judicial estoppel doctrine | Roxas v. Marcos | 20 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 1 |
| 93 | overbreadth doctrine | State v. Kaneakua | 20 | 2 | 1977–2020 | 0 |
| 94 | admission of the Intoxilyzer test | State v. Souza | 19 | 2 | 1987–2021 | 1 |
| 95 | Apprendi rule | Apprendi v. New Jersey | 19 | 2 | 2002–2018 | 0 |
| 96 | BAC test | State v. Wilson | 19 | 2 | 1996–2025 | 3 |
| 97 | equitable estoppel doctrine | Maria v. Freitas | 19 | 2 | 1942–2021 | 1 |
| 98 | fact that a particular instruction | Ciacci v. Woolley | 19 | 2 | 1934–2025 | 1 |
| 99 | separation of powers doctrine | Pray v. JUDICIAL SELECTION COM'N | 19 | 2 | 1994–2025 | 5 |
| 100 | actionable claim | Hays v. City and County of Honolulu | 18 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 6 |
| 101 | burden-shifting analysis | McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green | 18 | 2 | 1996–2025 | 3 |
| 102 | choice of evils defense | State v. Maumalanga | 18 | 2 | 1998–2025 | 3 |
| 103 | commerce clause | Western Live Stock v. Bureau of Revenue | 18 | 2 | 1903–2025 | 1 |
| 104 | consent exception | State v. Kearns | 18 | 2 | 1989–2020 | 0 |
| 105 | HGN test | State v. Ito | 18 | 2 | 1999–2023 | 3 |
| 106 | newly announced rule | State v. Jess | 18 | 2 | 1971–2025 | 6 |
| 107 | personal privilege | Borba v. Kaina | 18 | 2 | 1908–2025 | 4 |
| 108 | vagueness challenge | State v. Kaneakua | 18 | 2 | 1919–2019 | 0 |
| 109 | conviction exception | Apprendi v. New Jersey | 17 | 2 | 1975–2025 | 6 |
| 110 | ease bar | Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs v. Yamasaki | 17 | 2 | 1895–2016 | 0 |
| 111 | error doctrine | State v. Garcia | 17 | 2 | 1992–2025 | 3 |
| 112 | estoppel doctrine | Godbold v. Manibog | 17 | 2 | 1952–2015 | 0 |
| 113 | firmly rooted hearsay exception | Ohio v. Roberts | 17 | 2 | 1989–2015 | 0 |
| 114 | first degree violation | State v. Nichols | 17 | 2 | 1982–2024 | 1 |
| 115 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Argersinger v. Hamlin | 17 | 2 | 1975–2020 | 0 |
| 116 | plain view doctrine | State v. Meyer | 17 | 2 | 1975–2021 | 2 |
| 117 | probable cause hearing | Illinois v. Gates | 17 | 2 | 1973–2022 | 2 |
| 118 | specification error | Territory of Hawaii v. Palakiko | 17 | 2 | 1945–1981 | 0 |
| 119 | voluntariness hearing | State v. Hewitt. | 17 | 2 | 1964–2025 | 8 |
| 120 | wrongful foreclosure claim | Hungate v. Law Office of David B. Rosen | 17 | 2 | 2017–2026 | 13 |
| 121 | adverse claim | Masaki v. General Motors Corp. | 16 | 2 | 1902–2025 | 2 |
| 122 | bad faith claim | Best Place, Inc. v. Penn America Insurance Co. | 16 | 2 | 1995–2014 | 0 |
| 123 | circuit court committed plain error | State v. Sawyer | 16 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 7 |
| 124 | circumstances analysis | State v. Loa | 16 | 2 | 1925–2021 | 1 |
| 125 | contested ease hearing | Kaleikini v. Thielen | 16 | 2 | 1999–2016 | 0 |
| 126 | DAG plea | State v. Kaufman | 16 | 2 | 1977–2022 | 1 |
| 127 | enforcement claim | Chung v. Animal Clinic, Inc. | 16 | 2 | 1969–2025 | 2 |
| 128 | equivalent rule | Kawamata Farms, Inc. v. United Agri Products | 16 | 2 | 1997–2025 | 2 |
| 129 | exercise privilege | State v. Mainaaupo | 16 | 2 | 1909–2023 | 2 |
| 130 | Mother motion | Doe v. Doe | 16 | 2 | 2000–2024 | 2 |
| 131 | petition states a colorable claim | Dan v. State | 16 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 2 |
| 132 | political question doctrine | Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs v. Yamasaki | 16 | 2 | 1970–2024 | 3 |
| 133 | reliability test | State v. Kemper | 16 | 2 | 1996–2021 | 1 |
| 134 | second degree violation | State v. Moore | 16 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 2 |
| 135 | workable test | Mitchell v. Branch | 16 | 2 | 1917–2020 | 0 |
| 136 | alibi defense | State v. Davis | 15 | 2 | 1983–2017 | 0 |
| 137 | American rule | Larsen v. Pacesetter Systems, Inc. | 15 | 2 | 1914–2025 | 1 |
| 138 | base requirement | Housing Finance & Development Corp. v. Castle | 15 | 2 | 1996–2008 | 0 |
| 139 | election challenge | Funakoshi v. King | 15 | 2 | 1979–2023 | 1 |
| 140 | entrapment defense | State v. Agrabante | 15 | 2 | 1966–2024 | 1 |
| 141 | ex post facto clause | State v. Von Geldern | 15 | 2 | 1994–2025 | 3 |
| 142 | foundation privilege | State v. Pokini | 15 | 2 | 1905–2021 | 1 |
| 143 | grounds upon claim | Meindl v. Genesys Pacific Technologies, Inc. | 15 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 3 |
| 144 | hard and fast rule | State v. Murphy | 15 | 2 | 1959–2025 | 1 |
| 145 | ineffective assistance claim | State v. Silva | 15 | 2 | 1994–2025 | 5 |
| 146 | injury-in-fact test | Sierra Club v. Hawaii Tourism Authority | 15 | 2 | 1996–2025 | 1 |
| 147 | insanity defense | State v. Miyashiro | 15 | 2 | 1986–2023 | 2 |
| 148 | odd-lot doctrine | Takeshi Tsuchiyama v. Kahului Trucking & Storage, Inc. | 15 | 2 | 1982–2024 | 3 |
| 149 | offense violation | State v. Grindles | 15 | 2 | 1952–2013 | 0 |
| 150 | plain meaning analysis | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Omiya. | 15 | 2 | 1983–2023 | 6 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.