The doctrines Maine 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 | affirmative defense | Inniss v. Methot Buick-Opel, Inc. | 282 | 2 | 1951–2026 | 37 |
| 2 | due process clause | Murphy v. Keenan | 270 | 2 | 1956–2026 | 39 |
| 3 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 260 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 29 |
| 4 | obvious error | State v. True | 241 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 35 |
| 5 | fundamental rule | Mathews v. Eldridge | 171 | 2 | 1839–2026 | 14 |
| 6 | hearsay rule | Crawford v. Washington | 121 | 2 | 1916–2026 | 5 |
| 7 | warrant requirement | Birchfield v. N. Dakota. William Robert Bernard | 116 | 2 | 1948–2024 | 14 |
| 8 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 104 | 2 | 1967–2025 | 6 |
| 9 | equal protection clause | Tri-State Rubbish, Inc. v. Town of New Gloucester | 85 | 2 | 1935–2023 | 2 |
| 10 | res judicata doctrine | Beegan v. Schmidt | 85 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 13 |
| 11 | death knell exception | Webb v. Haas | 76 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 10 |
| 12 | mootness doctrine | In Re Faucher | 74 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 9 |
| 13 | abuse of discretion standard | Patricia Mae Voter v. Dexter R. Voter | 65 | 2 | 1980–2024 | 6 |
| 14 | de novo hearing | Stewart v. Town of Sedgwick | 64 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 5 |
| 15 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 64 | 2 | 1973–2025 | 4 |
| 16 | Maine rule | Haynes v. Jackson | 62 | 2 | 1917–2026 | 9 |
| 17 | collateral order exception | Bond v. Bond | 60 | 1 | 1976–2026 | 7 |
| 18 | judicial economy exception | Department of Human Services v. Lowatchie | 59 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 14 |
| 19 | per se rule | State Ex Rel. Tierney v. Ford Motor Co. | 56 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 6 |
| 20 | harmless error | Delaware v. Van Arsdall | 55 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 11 |
| 21 | recitation of Miranda warning | State v. Sawyer | 55 | 2 | 1979–2024 | 16 |
| 22 | equitable estoppel doctrine | Hird v. Bath Iron Works Corp. | 54 | 2 | 1938–2023 | 2 |
| 23 | Fourth Amendment violation | United States v. Infante-Ruiz | 54 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 4 |
| 24 | probable cause standard | State v. Webster | 53 | 2 | 1970–2023 | 3 |
| 25 | sovereign immunity | Drake v. Smith | 53 | 2 | 1971–2025 | 6 |
| 26 | standing requirement | Sproul v. Town of Boothbay Harbor | 53 | 2 | 1975–2025 | 6 |
| 27 | clear and convincing standard | Taylor v. Commissioner of Mental Health & Mental Retardation | 49 | 2 | 1991–2021 | 1 |
| 28 | conditional privilege | Lester v. Powers | 49 | 2 | 1917–2024 | 7 |
| 29 | unjust enrichment claim | Paffhausen v. Balano | 49 | 2 | 1974–2024 | 5 |
| 30 | blood alcohol test | State v. Webster | 48 | 2 | 1969–2025 | 1 |
| 31 | double jeopardy clause | State of Maine v. Wade R. Hoover | 48 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 4 |
| 32 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 48 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 13 |
| 33 | statute of limitations defense | McLaughlin v. Superintending School Committee | 46 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 5 |
| 34 | qualified immunity | Harlow v. Fitzgerald | 45 | 2 | 1956–2026 | 3 |
| 35 | prima facie claim | Duren v. Missouri | 44 | 2 | 1878–2023 | 10 |
| 36 | defamation claim | Cole v. Chandler | 42 | 2 | 1984–2024 | 8 |
| 37 | seriously prejudicial error | State v. Baker | 40 | 1 | 1981–2025 | 4 |
| 38 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 40 | 2 | 1979–2022 | 6 |
| 39 | rational basis test | Califano v. Aznavorian | 39 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 14 |
| 40 | good cause exception | George Brackett v. Town of Rangeley | 38 | 2 | 1824–2023 | 5 |
| 41 | parol evidence rule | Handy Boat Service, Inc. v. Professional Services, Inc. | 38 | 2 | 1928–2024 | 2 |
| 42 | substitute procedural requirement | Mathews v. Eldridge | 38 | 2 | 1981–2023 | 5 |
| 43 | elementary principle | State v. Doran | 37 | 2 | 1851–2022 | 1 |
| 44 | defendant abused privilege | Johnson v. Exclusive Properties Unlimited | 34 | 2 | 1998–2024 | 2 |
| 45 | adverse possession claim | Striefel v. Charles-Keyt-Leaman Partnership | 32 | 2 | 1914–2024 | 3 |
| 46 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 32 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 8 |
| 47 | nied claim | Curtis v. Porter | 32 | 2 | 1992–2022 | 5 |
| 48 | reasonable doubt error | State v. Warren | 32 | 2 | 1971–2024 | 4 |
| 49 | Town motion | Talbot v. Town of Little Compton | 32 | 2 | 1990–2023 | 1 |
| 50 | voluntariness requirement | State v. Mikulewicz | 31 | 2 | 1976–2024 | 5 |
| 51 | business records exception | Beneficial Maine Inc. v. Carter | 30 | 2 | 1981–2024 | 1 |
| 52 | existence of a meritorious defense | Thomas v. Thompson | 30 | 2 | 1984–2023 | 6 |
| 53 | Hewey analysis | State v. Hewey | 30 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 13 |
| 54 | burden-shifting analysis | McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green | 29 | 2 | 2003–2025 | 4 |
| 55 | corpus delicti rule | State v. Curlew | 29 | 2 | 1973–2019 | 0 |
| 56 | preponderance of the evidence standard | Santosky v. Kramer | 29 | 2 | 1974–2023 | 3 |
| 57 | should dismiss claim | McAfee v. Cole | 29 | 1 | 2006–2023 | 1 |
| 58 | adverse effect defense | Strickland v. Washington | 28 | 2 | 2015–2024 | 13 |
| 59 | clear and convincing evidence standard | Taylor v. Commissioner of Mental Health & Mental Retardation | 28 | 2 | 1984–2024 | 3 |
| 60 | Terry stop | State v. Donatelli | 28 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 4 |
| 61 | transactional test | Portland Water District v. Town of Standish | 28 | 2 | 1982–2024 | 5 |
| 62 | violation of some positive rule | Smith v. Smith | 28 | 1 | 1980–2015 | 0 |
| 63 | manifest error | Cates v. Farrington | 27 | 2 | 1953–2019 | 0 |
| 64 | prejudicial error | State of Maine v. Stephen J. Tucker Sr. | 27 | 1 | 1980–2025 | 7 |
| 65 | preserved error | State v. White | 27 | 1 | 1989–2026 | 9 |
| 66 | slapp motion | John P. Thurlow v. Zakia C. Nelson | 27 | 2 | 2003–2025 | 9 |
| 67 | economic loss doctrine | Oceanside at Pine Point Condominium Owners Ass'n v. Peachtree Doors, Inc. | 26 | 2 | 1995–2023 | 2 |
| 68 | essence claim | Burns v. Architectural Doors and Windows | 26 | 2 | 1995–2024 | 10 |
| 69 | pleading standard | Bean v. Cummings | 26 | 2 | 1977–2024 | 4 |
| 70 | damages hearing | Aladdin Electric Associates v. Town of Old Orchard Beach | 25 | 2 | 1954–2024 | 2 |
| 71 | comparison test | Elliott v. Hanover Insurance Co. | 24 | 2 | 1980–2021 | 2 |
| 72 | exhaustion of administrative remedies doctrine | Levesque v. Inhabitants of Town of Eliot | 24 | 2 | 1974–2024 | 3 |
| 73 | First Amendment challenge | Lester v. Powers | 24 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 3 |
| 74 | jeopardy hearing | In re Hope H. | 24 | 1 | 1999–2026 | 2 |
| 75 | testimonial hearing | Guidotti v. Legal Helpers Debt Resolution, L.L.C. | 24 | 2 | 1973–2021 | 2 |
| 76 | utpa claim | Beaulieu v. Dorsey | 24 | 2 | 1995–2020 | 0 |
| 77 | adjudication claim | Pepperell Trust Co. v. Mountain Heir Financial Corp. | 23 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 5 |
| 78 | essential element claim | Lewis v. Knowlton | 23 | 2 | 1982–2025 | 3 |
| 79 | policy behind doctrine | Calthorpe v. Abrahamson | 23 | 2 | 1983–2024 | 1 |
| 80 | separation of powers doctrine | Brown v. State, Department of Manpower Affairs | 23 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 6 |
| 81 | sufficiency of the evidence challenge | Westleigh v. Conger | 23 | 1 | 1994–2025 | 4 |
| 82 | exigent circumstances exception | Birchfield v. N. Dakota. William Robert Bernard | 22 | 2 | 1974–2024 | 4 |
| 83 | good faith exception | United States v. Leon | 22 | 2 | 1981–2023 | 4 |
| 84 | gross deviation standard | State v. Gammon | 22 | 2 | 1979–2025 | 3 |
| 85 | obviousness error | State v. True | 22 | 1 | 1982–2025 | 1 |
| 86 | Sixth Amendment violation | Schad v. Arizona | 22 | 1 | 1973–2023 | 1 |
| 87 | judicially created rule | Braley v. Berkshire Mutual Insurance Co. | 21 | 2 | 1977–2025 | 2 |
| 88 | positive rule | Hedrich v. Hedrich | 21 | 1 | 1980–2025 | 1 |
| 89 | public trust doctrine | Bell v. Town of Wells | 21 | 2 | 1981–2022 | 1 |
| 90 | void-for-vagueness challenge | State of Maine v. David Reckards | 21 | 2 | 1974–2024 | 7 |
| 91 | WPA claim | Patricia Galouch v. Department of Professional and Financial Regulation | 21 | 2 | 2004–2022 | 3 |
| 92 | collateral consequences exception | In Re Walter R. | 20 | 2 | 1998–2020 | 0 |
| 93 | commerce clause | Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. Brady | 20 | 2 | 1901–2026 | 1 |
| 94 | discretionary immunity | Darling v. Augusta Mental Health Institute | 20 | 2 | 1981–2018 | 0 |
| 95 | exclusivity immunity | Li v. C.N. Brown Co. | 20 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 4 |
| 96 | fact at issue rule | Lougee Conservancy v. Citimortgage, Inc. | 20 | 2 | 2011–2023 | 15 |
| 97 | fact-specific inquiry | State v. Metzger | 20 | 2 | 1997–2025 | 4 |
| 98 | knowing and intelligent waiver | State v. Walls | 20 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 3 |
| 99 | procedural due process claim | Guardianship of Hughes | 20 | 2 | 1995–2024 | 4 |
| 100 | substantive due process claim | County of Sacramento v. Lewis | 20 | 2 | 1981–2022 | 3 |
| 101 | attorney-client privilege | Corey v. Norman, Hanson & DeTroy | 19 | 2 | 1977–2024 | 3 |
| 102 | collateral estoppel doctrine | Kurtz & Perry, P.A. v. Emerson | 19 | 2 | 1974–2018 | 0 |
| 103 | functional analysis | Inhabitants of the Town of Sabattus v. Bilodeau | 19 | 2 | 1978–2013 | 0 |
| 104 | loss of consortium claim | Hardy v. St. Clair | 19 | 2 | 1978–2020 | 0 |
| 105 | low standard | Camden National Bank v. Ilene F. Weintraub | 19 | 2 | 2006–2024 | 5 |
| 106 | property claim | Jordan v. Shea | 19 | 2 | 1974–2023 | 2 |
| 107 | vagueness challenge | State of Maine v. David Reckards | 19 | 2 | 1981–2024 | 3 |
| 108 | acquiescence is well served by recognizing doctrine | Calthorpe v. Abrahamson | 18 | 2 | 1983–2024 | 1 |
| 109 | aggravating and mitigating factors | State v. Schofield | 18 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 5 |
| 110 | Brady violation | Strickler v. Greene | 18 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 3 |
| 111 | fair and unbiased hearing | Gorham v. Town of Cape Elizabeth | 18 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 2 |
| 112 | first step analysis | State v. Holland | 18 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 3 |
| 113 | insanity defense | State v. Kitchens | 18 | 1 | 1956–2025 | 3 |
| 114 | law of the case doctrine | Blance v. Alley | 18 | 2 | 1979–2021 | 1 |
| 115 | motion to dismiss claim | Bryan R. v. Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York, Inc. | 18 | 2 | 1999–2023 | 3 |
| 116 | plain language rule | James M. Dickau v. Vermont Mutual Insurance Co. | 18 | 2 | 1997–2024 | 5 |
| 117 | reasonable articulable suspicion standard | State v. Porter | 18 | 2 | 1994–2023 | 2 |
| 118 | reasonable suspicion standard | State v. Caron | 18 | 2 | 1987–2022 | 3 |
| 119 | scrutiny standard | Anderson v. Town of Durham | 18 | 2 | 1980–2020 | 0 |
| 120 | second prong test | John Fahnley v. State of Maine | 18 | 2 | 1978–2023 | 5 |
| 121 | tortious interference claim | Rutland v. Mullen | 18 | 2 | 2000–2021 | 4 |
| 122 | unfitness determination for clear error | In re Caleb M. | 18 | 1 | 2017–2018 | 0 |
| 123 | breach violation | Corey v. Norman, Hanson & DeTroy | 17 | 2 | 1827–2017 | 0 |
| 124 | business judgment rule | Rosenthal v. Rosenthal | 17 | 2 | 1988–2021 | 3 |
| 125 | collateral source rule | Werner v. Lane | 17 | 2 | 1978–2022 | 2 |
| 126 | competing harms defense | State v. Kee | 17 | 1 | 1982–2025 | 2 |
| 127 | consent exception | Birchfield v. N. Dakota. William Robert Bernard | 17 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 5 |
| 128 | discretionary function immunity | Darling v. Augusta Mental Health Institute | 17 | 2 | 1987–2022 | 2 |
| 129 | estoppel doctrine | City of Auburn v. Desgrosseilliers | 17 | 2 | 1889–2021 | 1 |
| 130 | findings for clear error | In re Nicholas S. | 17 | 1 | 1990–2022 | 3 |
| 131 | HGN test | State v. Taylor | 17 | 2 | 1997–2022 | 1 |
| 132 | home rule | Tisei v. Town of Ogunquit | 17 | 2 | 1979–2022 | 2 |
| 133 | ineffective assistance claim | In re M.P. | 17 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 7 |
| 134 | inevitable discovery exception | State v. Storer | 17 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 3 |
| 135 | injury requirement | Schelling v. Lindell | 17 | 2 | 1939–2024 | 3 |
| 136 | known right privilege | Johnson v. Zerbst | 17 | 2 | 1967–2018 | 0 |
| 137 | Massachusetts rule | Massaletti v. Fitzroy | 17 | 2 | 1914–2015 | 0 |
| 138 | speedy trial claim | Barker v. Wingo | 17 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 6 |
| 139 | discussion hearing | Heber v. Lucerne-In-Maine Village Corp. | 16 | 2 | 1947–2024 | 2 |
| 140 | facts constituting defense | State v. Glidden | 16 | 1 | 1985–2015 | 0 |
| 141 | Franks hearing | Franks v. Delaware | 16 | 2 | 1993–2023 | 2 |
| 142 | hostile work environment claim | Watt v. UniFirst Corp. | 16 | 2 | 2001–2018 | 0 |
| 143 | iied claim | Curtis v. Porter | 16 | 2 | 1998–2024 | 7 |
| 144 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Aldus v. State | 16 | 2 | 1997–2018 | 0 |
| 145 | Intoxilyzer test | State v. Webster | 16 | 2 | 1983–2020 | 0 |
| 146 | legal malpractice claim | Brewer v. Hagemann | 16 | 2 | 1996–2020 | 0 |
| 147 | plain view doctrine | State of Maine v. Michael R. McNaughton | 16 | 2 | 1971–2025 | 4 |
| 148 | promissory estoppel doctrine | Chapman v. Bomann | 16 | 2 | 1953–2023 | 2 |
| 149 | public interest exception | In Re Walter R. | 16 | 2 | 2004–2021 | 2 |
| 150 | quantum meruit claim | Paffhausen v. Balano | 16 | 2 | 1994–2024 | 1 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.