The doctrines Michigan 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 | plain error | People v. Carines | 2,310 | 2 | 1885–2026 | 917 |
| 2 | reviews for clear error | People v. Trakhtenberg | 994 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 436 |
| 3 | factual predicate claim | People v. Hoag | 869 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 234 |
| 4 | affirmative defense | People v. Dupree | 796 | 2 | 1906–2026 | 182 |
| 5 | due process violation | People v. Kurylczyk | 709 | 2 | 1920–2026 | 124 |
| 6 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | People v. Petri | 678 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 180 |
| 7 | Ginther hearing | People v. Ginther | 609 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 220 |
| 8 | exclusionary rule | People v. Goldston | 537 | 2 | 1933–2026 | 114 |
| 9 | hearsay rule | People v. Gursky | 523 | 2 | 1919–2026 | 92 |
| 10 | position or assert error | Mitcham v. City of Detroit | 501 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 188 |
| 11 | fundamental rule | Farrington v. Total Petroleum, Inc. | 474 | 2 | 1851–2026 | 56 |
| 12 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 451 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 99 |
| 13 | scoring error | People v. Francisco | 420 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 111 |
| 14 | warrant requirement | People v. Kazmierczak | 414 | 2 | 1900–2026 | 100 |
| 15 | abuse of discretion standard | People v. Babcock | 402 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 116 |
| 16 | law of the case doctrine | Grievance Administrator v. Lopatin | 399 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 91 |
| 17 | best-interest factors | In re Olive/Metts Minors | 380 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 218 |
| 18 | harmless error | People v. Lukity | 380 | 2 | 1912–2026 | 57 |
| 19 | factual support claim | Meemic Insurance v. DTE Energy Co. | 340 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 53 |
| 20 | clear legal error | Pierron v. Pierron | 324 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 128 |
| 21 | legal sufficiency claim | Bailey v. Schaaf | 316 | 2 | 1955–2026 | 78 |
| 22 | Michigan rule | People v. Cameron | 295 | 2 | 1888–2026 | 46 |
| 23 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 290 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 95 |
| 24 | double jeopardy clause | People v. Ackah-Essien | 281 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 46 |
| 25 | Ginther1 hearing | People v. Ginther | 281 | 1 | 2014–2026 | 53 |
| 26 | equal protection clause | Shavers v. Attorney General | 276 | 2 | 1912–2026 | 14 |
| 27 | Brady violation | People v. Chenault | 261 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 83 |
| 28 | res judicata doctrine | Adair v. State | 255 | 2 | 1936–2026 | 52 |
| 29 | prima facie defense | People v. Dupree | 249 | 2 | 1899–2026 | 74 |
| 30 | wide variety factors | In re White | 246 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 145 |
| 31 | factual sufficiency claim | Maiden v. Rozwood | 245 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 84 |
| 32 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 232 | 2 | 1949–2026 | 38 |
| 33 | Fourth Amendment violation | People v. Williams | 225 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 69 |
| 34 | open and obvious doctrine | Lugo v. Ameritech Corp., Inc. | 225 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 55 |
| 35 | heavy presumption | People v. Jackson | 223 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 75 |
| 36 | issue for plain error | People v. Carines | 220 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 57 |
| 37 | highway exception | Nawrocki v. MacOmb County Road Commission | 219 | 2 | 1934–2026 | 38 |
| 38 | motor vehicle exception | Wesche v. Mecosta County Road Commission | 216 | 2 | 1947–2026 | 64 |
| 39 | right to present defense | People v. Solloway | 199 | 2 | 1936–2026 | 66 |
| 40 | open and obvious danger doctrine | Lugo v. Ameritech Corp., Inc. | 191 | 2 | 1990–2024 | 59 |
| 41 | American rule | Haliw v. City of Sterling Heights | 189 | 2 | 1863–2026 | 59 |
| 42 | proportionality standard | People v. Milbourn | 189 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 53 |
| 43 | Walker hearing | People v. Walker | 186 | 2 | 1966–2025 | 12 |
| 44 | separation of powers doctrine | Soap & Detergent Ass'n v. Natural Resources Commission | 184 | 2 | 1956–2026 | 27 |
| 45 | medical malpractice claim | Bryant v. Oakpointe Villa Nursing Centre, Inc | 181 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 49 |
| 46 | de novo standard | DiBenedetto v. West Shore Hospital | 174 | 2 | 1951–2026 | 54 |
| 47 | Ginther2 hearing | People v. Ginther | 174 | 2 | 2014–2026 | 52 |
| 48 | stare decisis doctrine | Robinson v. City of Detroit | 171 | 2 | 1913–2025 | 15 |
| 49 | structural error | People v. Stevens | 171 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 73 |
| 50 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 156 | 2 | 1965–2026 | 26 |
| 51 | contractual clause | Rory v. Continental Insurance | 156 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 46 |
| 52 | standing doctrine | Lansing Schools Education Ass'n v. Lansing Board of Education | 156 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 41 |
| 53 | applicability of governmental immunity | Moraccini v. City of Sterling Heights | 153 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 37 |
| 54 | insanity defense | People v. Carpenter | 150 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 34 |
| 55 | qualified privilege | Prysak v. R L Polk Co. | 149 | 2 | 1899–2026 | 19 |
| 56 | premises liability claim | Buhalis v. Trinity Continuing Care Services | 148 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 54 |
| 57 | rational basis test | Doe v. Department of Social Services | 147 | 2 | 1959–2026 | 13 |
| 58 | Sixth Amendment violation | People v. Lockridge | 147 | 2 | 1976–2025 | 12 |
| 59 | breach standard | Kalaj v. Khan | 146 | 2 | 1888–2026 | 40 |
| 60 | bench bar | Bryant v. Oakpointe Villa Nursing Centre, Inc | 145 | 2 | 1920–2024 | 11 |
| 61 | bench trial for clear error | Alan Custom Homes, Inc v. Krol | 142 | 1 | 1998–2026 | 49 |
| 62 | exact nature claim | Adams v. Adams | 141 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 51 |
| 63 | alibi defense | People v. Merritt | 140 | 2 | 1926–2026 | 13 |
| 64 | reviews challenge | People v. Roper | 138 | 1 | 1984–2026 | 24 |
| 65 | preponderance of the evidence standard | In re Moss | 137 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 36 |
| 66 | presumption defense | People v. Payne | 135 | 2 | 1857–2026 | 25 |
| 67 | preserved error | People v. Burns | 134 | 2 | 1998–2025 | 18 |
| 68 | public building exception | Reardon v. Department of Mental Health | 134 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 13 |
| 69 | one-year-back rule | Joseph v. Auto Club Insurance Association | 127 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 39 |
| 70 | parol evidence rule | UAW-GM Human Resource Center v. KSL Recreation Corp. | 126 | 2 | 1938–2026 | 18 |
| 71 | palpable error | Luckow Estate v. Luckow | 125 | 2 | 1865–2026 | 46 |
| 72 | statute of limitations defense | Kincaid v. Cardwell | 123 | 2 | 1901–2026 | 18 |
| 73 | home rule | People v. Sell | 122 | 2 | 1915–2026 | 15 |
| 74 | good faith exception | United States v. Leon | 121 | 2 | 1965–2026 | 30 |
| 75 | reasonable probability defense | People v. Heft | 121 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 21 |
| 76 | time of the termination hearing | In re Olive/Metts Minors | 121 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 74 |
| 77 | speedy trial claim | People v. Williams | 118 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 57 |
| 78 | unpreserved issue for plain error | People v. Carines | 115 | 2 | 2008–2026 | 34 |
| 79 | burden-shifting framework | McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green | 113 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 46 |
| 80 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 113 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 38 |
| 81 | statutory best interest factors | Vodvarka v. Grasmeyer | 110 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 45 |
| 82 | wrong upon claim | Connelly v. Paul Ruddy's Equipment Repair & Service Co. | 110 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 32 |
| 83 | collateral estoppel doctrine | Rental Properties Owners Ass'n v. Kent County Treasurer | 109 | 2 | 1971–2025 | 25 |
| 84 | probable cause standard | People v. Yost | 109 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 23 |
| 85 | exception to governmental immunity | Wade v. Department of Corrections | 106 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 17 |
| 86 | claim of instructional error | People v. Dupree | 105 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 28 |
| 87 | economic reality test | Adanalic v. Harco National Insurance Company | 104 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 17 |
| 88 | Miller factors | Miller v. Alabama | 102 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 60 |
| 89 | of review defendant | People v. Carines | 102 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 49 |
| 90 | attorney-client privilege | Leibel v. General Motors Corp. | 98 | 2 | 1953–2025 | 15 |
| 91 | plain view doctrine | People v. Champion | 98 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 16 |
| 92 | sufficiency of the evidence claim | People v. Lane | 98 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 36 |
| 93 | conviction instruction | People v. Kowalski | 97 | 2 | 1912–2026 | 20 |
| 94 | Ginther3 hearing | People v. Payne | 95 | 1 | 2014–2026 | 29 |
| 95 | material error | Dignan v. Michigan Public School Employees Retirement Board | 95 | 2 | 1942–2024 | 14 |
| 96 | self-defense instruction | People v. Guajardo | 95 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 27 |
| 97 | excited utterance exception | People v. Smith | 94 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 15 |
| 98 | application of a constitutional standard | People v. Russell | 93 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 39 |
| 99 | defamation claim | Mitan v. Campbell | 93 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 31 |
| 100 | laches doctrine | Knight v. Northpointe Bank | 93 | 2 | 1888–2025 | 27 |
| 101 | reasonable doubt standard | Chapman v. California | 92 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 6 |
| 102 | unanimity instruction | People v. Cooks | 92 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 57 |
| 103 | anticipatory neglect doctrine | In re LaFrance Minors | 91 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 48 |
| 104 | legislative analysis | Frank W Lynch & Co v. Flex Technologies, Inc | 91 | 2 | 1918–2025 | 8 |
| 105 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Argersinger v. Hamlin | 89 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 18 |
| 106 | Blockburger test | Blockburger v. United States | 88 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 14 |
| 107 | nonexhaustive list factors | People v. Watkins; People v. Pullen | 88 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 42 |
| 108 | comparative negligence doctrine | Placek v. City of Sterling Heights | 86 | 2 | 1898–2025 | 11 |
| 109 | entrapment defense | People v. D'Angelo | 86 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 17 |
| 110 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 85 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 32 |
| 111 | given claim | In re Beatrice Rottenberg Living Trust | 83 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 29 |
| 112 | judicially created exception | Cincinnati Insurance v. Citizens Insurance | 83 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 14 |
| 113 | McDonnell Douglas framework | Hazle v. Ford Motor Co. | 83 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 25 |
| 114 | Daubert hearing | Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 82 | 2 | 2004–2026 | 24 |
| 115 | gross negligence claim | Tarlea v. Crabtree | 82 | 2 | 1922–2026 | 20 |
| 116 | sudden emergency doctrine | Vander Laan v. Miedema | 82 | 2 | 1957–2026 | 23 |
| 117 | appearance of impropriety standard | Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Co., Inc. | 81 | 2 | 2006–2026 | 41 |
| 118 | respondeat superior doctrine | Geib v. Slater | 81 | 2 | 1911–2026 | 15 |
| 119 | clear and convincing evidence standard | Martin v. Martin | 79 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 31 |
| 120 | defendant breached standard | Craig v. Oakwood Hospital | 79 | 2 | 2004–2026 | 27 |
| 121 | sovereign immunity | Mead v. Michigan Public Service Commission | 79 | 2 | 1939–2026 | 16 |
| 122 | violation or a suspected violation | West v. General Motors Corp. | 79 | 2 | 1993–2025 | 26 |
| 123 | pari materia doctrine | People v. Webb | 77 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 12 |
| 124 | best-interests analysis | In re White | 76 | 2 | 2002–2026 | 54 |
| 125 | estoppel doctrine | Ruddock v. Detroit Life Insurance | 73 | 2 | 1871–2026 | 4 |
| 126 | language of the court rule | Wilcoxon v. Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services | 72 | 2 | 1958–2026 | 20 |
| 127 | party to harbor error | Dresselhouse v. Chrysler Corp. | 72 | 1 | 1989–2025 | 22 |
| 128 | factual basis claim | People v. Hoag | 71 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 14 |
| 129 | interpretation of a court rule | People v. Swain | 71 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 17 |
| 130 | per se rule | King v. Nash (In Re Estate of Erwin) | 71 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 21 |
| 131 | law or regulation rule | West v. General Motors Corp. | 70 | 2 | 1993–2025 | 24 |
| 132 | vagueness challenge | People v. Vronko | 70 | 2 | 1906–2026 | 13 |
| 133 | defense of governmental immunity | Pittman v. City of Taylor | 69 | 2 | 1942–2025 | 1 |
| 134 | fact-specific inquiry | People v. Stevens | 68 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 24 |
| 135 | interpretation rule | People v. Jackson | 68 | 2 | 1949–2025 | 5 |
| 136 | list factors | People v. Stevens | 68 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 18 |
| 137 | substantive merits claim | PT Today, Inc. v. Commissioner of the Office of Financial & Insurance Services | 68 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 25 |
| 138 | totality of the circumstances test | Miranda v. Arizona | 68 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 17 |
| 139 | tribunal made error | Antisdale v. City of Galesburg | 68 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 6 |
| 140 | relation-back doctrine | Miller v. Chapman Contracting | 67 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 19 |
| 141 | automobile exception | People v. Kazmierczak | 66 | 2 | 1940–2026 | 20 |
| 142 | crucial inquiry | People v. Smith | 65 | 2 | 1908–2025 | 16 |
| 143 | intentional tort exception | Travis v. Dreis & Krump Manufacturing Co. | 65 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 12 |
| 144 | legal malpractice claim | Kloian v. Schwartz | 65 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 15 |
| 145 | prejudicial effect error | People v. Horn | 65 | 2 | 2008–2026 | 14 |
| 146 | proprietary function exception | Wesche v. Mecosta County Road Commission | 65 | 2 | 1973–2025 | 15 |
| 147 | unjust enrichment claim | Morris Pumps v. Centerline Piping, Inc. | 65 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 27 |
| 148 | clear or obvious error | People v. Carines | 64 | 1 | 2003–2026 | 27 |
| 149 | polygraph test | People v. Nash | 64 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 8 |
| 150 | Lockridge error | People v. Lockridge | 63 | 2 | 2015–2025 | 2 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.