The doctrines Minnesota 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 | Marriage of Maxfield v. Maxfield | 524 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 44 |
| 2 | plain error | State v. Griller | 496 | 2 | 1937–2026 | 59 |
| 3 | due process clause | International Shoe Co. v. Washington | 439 | 2 | 1926–2026 | 20 |
| 4 | warrant requirement | State v. Brooks | 351 | 2 | 1942–2026 | 27 |
| 5 | de novo standard | State v. Raleigh | 279 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 23 |
| 6 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 257 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 5 |
| 7 | harmless error | State v. Juarez | 229 | 2 | 1940–2026 | 10 |
| 8 | equal protection clause | State v. Cox | 223 | 2 | 1916–2026 | 5 |
| 9 | affirmative defense | Rehberger v. Project Plumbing Co., Inc. | 221 | 2 | 1907–2026 | 16 |
| 10 | painstaking analysis | State v. Webb | 217 | 2 | 1989–2035 | 18 |
| 11 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 197 | 2 | 1940–2026 | 15 |
| 12 | omnibus hearing | United States v. Cortez | 178 | 2 | 1914–2026 | 16 |
| 13 | fundamental principle | Mathews v. Eldridge | 177 | 3 | 1891–2026 | 6 |
| 14 | hearsay rule | State v. Hansen | 167 | 2 | 1913–2026 | 8 |
| 15 | Knaffla rule | State v. Knaffla | 161 | 2 | 1997–2025 | 14 |
| 16 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 157 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 26 |
| 17 | sufficiency of the evidence claim | State v. Webb | 139 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 21 |
| 18 | Minnesota rule | State of Minnesota v. William Robert Bernard, Jr. | 137 | 2 | 1904–2024 | 2 |
| 19 | reasonable doubt standard | In Re Haggerty | 137 | 2 | 1953–2026 | 14 |
| 20 | rational basis test | State v. Russell | 121 | 2 | 1978–2024 | 3 |
| 21 | separation of powers doctrine | State v. Foss | 120 | 2 | 1978–2025 | 3 |
| 22 | modified plain error | State v. Ramey | 119 | 2 | 2007–2026 | 26 |
| 23 | legally sufficient claim | Bodah v. Lakeville Motor Express, Inc. | 117 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 11 |
| 24 | confrontation clause | State v. Hansen | 116 | 2 | 1974–2026 | 9 |
| 25 | interests-of-justice exception | Sanchez v. State | 112 | 2 | 1951–2026 | 9 |
| 26 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 111 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 4 |
| 27 | circumstantial evidence standard | State v. Silvernail | 103 | 2 | 1952–2035 | 34 |
| 28 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 103 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 29 |
| 29 | Schwartz hearing | Schwartz v. Minneapolis Suburban Bus Co. | 101 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 6 |
| 30 | totality of the circumstances test | State v. Wiley | 99 | 2 | 1983–2025 | 6 |
| 31 | Fourth Amendment violation | Katz v. United States | 98 | 2 | 1965–2026 | 11 |
| 32 | official immunity | Elwood v. County of Rice | 96 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 6 |
| 33 | qualified privilege | Stuempges v. Parke, Davis & Co. | 96 | 2 | 1895–2019 | 0 |
| 34 | probable cause standard | State v. Florence | 93 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 8 |
| 35 | per se rule | Missouri v. McNeely | 91 | 2 | 1975–2025 | 4 |
| 36 | reasonable likelihood error | State v. Griller | 86 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 8 |
| 37 | reasonable suspicion standard | State v. Timberlake | 86 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 13 |
| 38 | good faith exception | State of Minnesota, Respondent/Cross-Appellant v. Bonnie Ann Lindquist, Appellant/Cross-Respondent. | 83 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 12 |
| 39 | McDonnell Douglas analysis | Sigurdson v. Isanti County | 78 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 4 |
| 40 | clear and convincing standard | Riley v. State | 77 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 7 |
| 41 | Alford plea | North Carolina v. Alford | 75 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 13 |
| 42 | double jeopardy clause | State v. Hanson | 75 | 2 | 1967–2026 | 2 |
| 43 | accuracy requirement | State v. Trott | 74 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 8 |
| 44 | parol evidence rule | Material Movers, Inc. v. Hill | 72 | 2 | 1922–2025 | 1 |
| 45 | fact without inference presumption | Bernhardt v. State | 71 | 2 | 2004–2035 | 34 |
| 46 | seriousness violation | State v. Austin | 69 | 2 | 1986–2025 | 10 |
| 47 | plain language rule | Laura L. Walsh v. U.S. Bank, N.A. | 68 | 2 | 1964–2025 | 7 |
| 48 | res judicata doctrine | Hauser v. Mealey | 68 | 2 | 1908–2017 | 0 |
| 49 | unobjected-to error | State v. Griller | 68 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 7 |
| 50 | Brady violation | Brady v. Maryland | 64 | 2 | 1976–2025 | 4 |
| 51 | subrogation claim | Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Vaccari | 64 | 2 | 1913–2026 | 1 |
| 52 | newly discovered evidence exception | Phillip Anthony Roberts v. State of Minnesota | 61 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 6 |
| 53 | burden of showing error | Loth v. Loth | 59 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 18 |
| 54 | Jones factors | State v. Swanson | 59 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 6 |
| 55 | voluntariness requirement | State v. Raleigh | 59 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 3 |
| 56 | impact requirement | State v. Trei | 58 | 2 | 1943–2018 | 0 |
| 57 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 58 | 2 | 1975–2025 | 4 |
| 58 | defamation claim | Stuempges v. Parke, Davis & Co. | 57 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 5 |
| 59 | void-for-vagueness doctrine | Kolender v. Lawson | 57 | 2 | 1977–2017 | 0 |
| 60 | Batson challenge | Batson v. Kentucky | 56 | 2 | 1991–2024 | 3 |
| 61 | consent exception | State v. Brooks | 56 | 2 | 1944–2024 | 1 |
| 62 | self-defense claim | State v. Basting | 55 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 12 |
| 63 | fair and just standard | State v. Theis | 54 | 2 | 1955–2026 | 9 |
| 64 | attorney-client privilege | Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co. v. Housing & Redevelopment Authority ex rel. City of Minneapolis | 52 | 2 | 1954–2026 | 5 |
| 65 | Rasmussen hearing | State Ex Rel. Rasmussen v. Tahash | 52 | 2 | 1968–2024 | 1 |
| 66 | first three factors | Dent-Air, Inc. v. Beech Mountain Air Service, Inc. | 51 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 2 |
| 67 | sovereign immunity | Nieting v. Blondell | 51 | 2 | 1941–2025 | 4 |
| 68 | unconstitutional conditions doctrine | Rita Ann Stevens v. Commissioner of Public Safety | 51 | 2 | 2006–2018 | 0 |
| 69 | emergency rule | Johnson v. Townsend | 50 | 2 | 1937–2018 | 0 |
| 70 | immunity defense | Johnson v. State | 48 | 2 | 1940–2026 | 1 |
| 71 | search incident to arrest exception | State of Minnesota v. William Robert Bernard, Jr. | 48 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 1 |
| 72 | manifest injustice standard | State v. Theis | 47 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 8 |
| 73 | preponderance of the evidence standard | State Ex Rel. Humphrey v. Alpine Air Products, Inc. | 47 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 2 |
| 74 | best-interests factors | In re the Welfare of J.R.B. | 46 | 1 | 1998–2026 | 12 |
| 75 | discretionary immunity | Larson Ex Rel. Larson v. Independent School District No. 314, Braham | 46 | 2 | 1966–2026 | 2 |
| 76 | implied consent hearing | State v. Victorsen | 46 | 2 | 1984–2025 | 1 |
| 77 | overbreadth doctrine | Broadrick v. Oklahoma | 46 | 2 | 1976–2019 | 0 |
| 78 | statute of limitations defense | Rhee v. Golden Home Builders, Inc. | 46 | 2 | 1894–2026 | 4 |
| 79 | First Amendment challenge | United States v. Williams | 45 | 2 | 1981–2024 | 3 |
| 80 | flexible doctrine | Johnson v. Consolidated Freightways, Inc. | 45 | 2 | 1896–2025 | 2 |
| 81 | preemption analysis | Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp. | 45 | 2 | 1984–2019 | 0 |
| 82 | urine test | State of Minnesota v. Ryan Mark Thompson | 45 | 2 | 1933–2024 | 2 |
| 83 | blood alcohol test | South Dakota v. Neville | 44 | 2 | 1975–2015 | 0 |
| 84 | discretionary function exception | Nusbaum v. County of Blue Earth | 44 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 4 |
| 85 | Larrison test | Larrison v. United States | 44 | 2 | 1982–2024 | 6 |
| 86 | motor vehicle exception | United States v. Ross | 44 | 2 | 1975–2025 | 2 |
| 87 | plain view exception | State v. Milton | 44 | 2 | 1977–2024 | 4 |
| 88 | cumulative weight rule | In Re Disciplinary Action Against Madsen | 42 | 1 | 1988–2018 | 0 |
| 89 | laches doctrine | Aronovitch v. Levy | 42 | 2 | 1894–2026 | 4 |
| 90 | officer observes violation | State v. George | 42 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 11 |
| 91 | res ipsa loquitur doctrine | Heffter v. Northern States Power Co. | 42 | 2 | 1915–2017 | 0 |
| 92 | Spreigl analysis | State v. Spreigl | 41 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 3 |
| 93 | structural error | Arizona v. Fulminante | 41 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 9 |
| 94 | commerce clause | Chapman v. Commissioner of Revenue | 40 | 2 | 1911–2026 | 1 |
| 95 | contested case hearing | In Re the Solid Waste Permit for the NSP Red Wing Ash Disposal Facility | 40 | 2 | 1985–2019 | 0 |
| 96 | departure standard | Plutshack Ex Rel. Plutshack v. University of Minnesota Hospitals | 40 | 2 | 1888–2026 | 3 |
| 97 | district court committed reversible error | Cohen v. Little Six, Inc. | 40 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 4 |
| 98 | law of the case doctrine | Loo v. Loo | 40 | 2 | 1933–2026 | 6 |
| 99 | legal malpractice claim | Blue Water Corp., Inc. v. O'TOOLE | 40 | 2 | 1984–2017 | 0 |
| 100 | procedural due process claim | Mathews v. Eldridge | 40 | 2 | 1986–2025 | 4 |
| 101 | residual clause | Anderson v. Anderson | 40 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 3 |
| 102 | Frye-Mack standard | State v. Roman Nose | 39 | 2 | 1992–2024 | 2 |
| 103 | home rule | Park v. City of Duluth | 39 | 2 | 1908–2019 | 0 |
| 104 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 39 | 2 | 1992–2026 | 8 |
| 105 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Boykin v. Alabama | 39 | 2 | 1972–2026 | 4 |
| 106 | lesser included offense instruction | State v. Dahlin | 39 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 4 |
| 107 | request for an evidentiary hearing | Riley v. State | 39 | 2 | 2012–2019 | 0 |
| 108 | Austin factors | State v. Modtland | 38 | 2 | 2003–2025 | 9 |
| 109 | conviction exception | Apprendi v. New Jersey | 38 | 2 | 1886–2024 | 2 |
| 110 | crime bar | Collins v. Youngblood | 38 | 2 | 1930–2018 | 0 |
| 111 | estoppel doctrine | Tozer v. Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corp. | 38 | 2 | 1894–2016 | 0 |
| 112 | forfeiture doctrine | State of Minnesota v. Adam John Lilienthal | 38 | 2 | 1893–2026 | 10 |
| 113 | public policy exception | Phipps v. Clark Oil & Refining Corp. | 38 | 2 | 1905–2024 | 1 |
| 114 | respondeat superior doctrine | Rait v. New England Furniture & Carpet Co. | 38 | 2 | 1897–2014 | 0 |
| 115 | unless error | State v. Davis | 38 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 11 |
| 116 | Blakely error | Blakely v. Washington | 37 | 2 | 2004–2025 | 3 |
| 117 | consequences waiver | State v. Camacho | 37 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 5 |
| 118 | crime to refuse test | State v. Brooks | 37 | 2 | 2013–2016 | 0 |
| 119 | interpretation rule | Cable Communications Board v. Nor-West Cable Communications Partnership | 37 | 2 | 1967–2026 | 2 |
| 120 | reasonable expectations doctrine | Atwater Creamery Co. v. Western National Mutual Insurance Co. | 37 | 2 | 1985–2015 | 0 |
| 121 | right to present defense | Washington v. Texas | 37 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 3 |
| 122 | Trog factors | State v. Trog | 37 | 1 | 1999–2026 | 13 |
| 123 | uniformity clause | Reed v. Bjornson | 37 | 2 | 1920–2012 | 0 |
| 124 | vagueness challenge | Kolender v. Lawson | 37 | 2 | 1973–2024 | 1 |
| 125 | merits constitutes an absolute bar | Youngstown Mines Corp. v. Prout | 36 | 2 | 1896–2011 | 0 |
| 126 | mootness doctrine | In Re McCaskill | 36 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 3 |
| 127 | Sixth Amendment violation | Cuyler v. Sullivan | 36 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 2 |
| 128 | concluded rule | Alabama v. Smith | 35 | 2 | 1939–2016 | 0 |
| 129 | guiding principle | Marriage of Pikula v. Pikula | 35 | 2 | 1940–2023 | 1 |
| 130 | mens rea requirement | In Re Welfare of C.R.M. | 35 | 2 | 1976–2025 | 8 |
| 131 | postconviction evidentiary hearing | Ferguson v. State | 35 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 7 |
| 132 | prejudicial error | State v. Griller | 35 | 2 | 1903–2024 | 1 |
| 133 | prima facie presumption | McCannel v. County of Hennepin | 35 | 2 | 1901–2025 | 4 |
| 134 | speedy trial violation | Barker v. Wingo | 35 | 2 | 1978–2025 | 6 |
| 135 | substitute procedural requirement | Mathews v. Eldridge | 35 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 3 |
| 136 | factual basis requirement | State v. Raleigh | 34 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 6 |
| 137 | known right privilege | Johnson v. Zerbst | 34 | 2 | 1957–2026 | 3 |
| 138 | lien claim | American Bridge Co. v. Honstain | 34 | 2 | 1890–2016 | 0 |
| 139 | marital privilege | Marriage of Peterka v. Peterka | 34 | 2 | 1961–2025 | 2 |
| 140 | multiple-victim exception | State v. Marquardt | 34 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 3 |
| 141 | second prong test | White v. Jorgenson | 34 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 4 |
| 142 | case falls within rule | Snyder v. Waldorf Box Board Co. | 33 | 2 | 1862–1987 | 0 |
| 143 | contribution claim | Spitzack v. Schumacher | 33 | 2 | 1943–2019 | 0 |
| 144 | Johnson plea | Schmidt v. Clothier | 33 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 3 |
| 145 | necessity defense | State v. Johnson | 33 | 2 | 1904–2018 | 0 |
| 146 | probation revocation hearing | State v. Ferris | 33 | 2 | 1984–2024 | 2 |
| 147 | warrantless breath test | State of Minnesota v. William Robert Bernard, Jr. | 33 | 2 | 2014–2025 | 1 |
| 148 | case comes within rule | Hicks v. Stone | 32 | 1 | 1876–1957 | 0 |
| 149 | equitable estoppel doctrine | Lunning v. Land O'Lakes | 32 | 2 | 1896–2024 | 1 |
| 150 | medical privilege | State v. Enebak | 32 | 2 | 1956–2026 | 1 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.