The doctrines Mississippi 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 | de novo standard | Hughes v. State | 1,710 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 210 |
| 2 | abuse of discretion standard | Webb v. Braswell | 1,162 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 149 |
| 3 | PCR motion | Hughes v. State | 935 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 191 |
| 4 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 568 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 69 |
| 5 | plain error | Gray v. State | 519 | 2 | 1858–2026 | 97 |
| 6 | Batson challenge | Puckett v. State | 444 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 21 |
| 7 | deficiency prejudiced defense | Strickland v. Washington | 429 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 30 |
| 8 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 393 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 20 |
| 9 | lesser included offense instruction | Harper v. State | 391 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 40 |
| 10 | Albright factors | Albright v. Albright | 354 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 52 |
| 11 | due process clause | Tucker v. Hinds County | 338 | 2 | 1911–2026 | 20 |
| 12 | affirmative defense | MS Credit Center, Inc. v. Horton | 331 | 2 | 1906–2026 | 35 |
| 13 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 301 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 15 |
| 14 | manifest error | Bredemeier v. Jackson | 291 | 2 | 1914–2026 | 26 |
| 15 | may refuse instruction | Heidel v. State | 277 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 29 |
| 16 | Ferguson factors | Ferguson v. Ferguson | 270 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 38 |
| 17 | hearsay rule | Idaho v. Wright | 251 | 2 | 1913–2026 | 20 |
| 18 | harmless error | Ross v. State | 239 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 46 |
| 19 | Barker factors | Barker v. Wingo | 238 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 18 |
| 20 | circumstantial evidence instruction | MacK v. State | 211 | 2 | 1979–2023 | 9 |
| 21 | manslaughter instruction | Lanier v. State | 208 | 2 | 1920–2026 | 15 |
| 22 | double jeopardy clause | United States v. Dixon | 192 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 19 |
| 23 | benchmark for judging any claim | Strickland v. Washington | 191 | 2 | 1990–2025 | 7 |
| 24 | fundamental principle | Manning v. State | 178 | 2 | 1909–2026 | 12 |
| 25 | res judicata doctrine | Little v. v. & G Welding Supply, Inc. | 170 | 2 | 1947–2025 | 9 |
| 26 | request for a peremptory instruction | McClain v. State | 167 | 2 | 1911–2025 | 9 |
| 27 | confrontation clause | Conners v. State | 149 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 19 |
| 28 | speedy trial claim | Barker v. Wingo | 148 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 16 |
| 29 | Armstrong factors | Armstrong v. Armstrong | 146 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 23 |
| 30 | chancellor error | Hollon v. Hollon | 145 | 2 | 1931–2026 | 12 |
| 31 | reasonable doubt error | Edwards v. State | 145 | 2 | 1924–2026 | 20 |
| 32 | suggestion error | Decker v. Bryan Bros. Packing Co. | 140 | 2 | 1882–2025 | 2 |
| 33 | granting instruction | Collins v. State | 139 | 2 | 1896–2026 | 3 |
| 34 | Weathersby rule | Weathersby v. State | 138 | 2 | 1951–2026 | 14 |
| 35 | cumulative error | Ross v. State | 136 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 29 |
| 36 | last occasion challenge | McClain v. State | 129 | 2 | 1994–2021 | 1 |
| 37 | Daubert standard | Mississippi Transp. Comm'n v. McLemore | 126 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 12 |
| 38 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 121 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 4 |
| 39 | McKee factors | McKee v. McKee | 115 | 2 | 1995–2026 | 15 |
| 40 | equal protection clause | McCleskey v. Kemp | 110 | 2 | 1930–2025 | 2 |
| 41 | tender years doctrine | Mercier v. Mercier | 110 | 2 | 1983–2025 | 10 |
| 42 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 109 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 20 |
| 43 | Brady violation | King v. State | 106 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 13 |
| 44 | proportionality analysis | Solem v. Helm | 106 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 12 |
| 45 | contemporaneous objection rule | Williams v. State | 105 | 2 | 1967–2026 | 5 |
| 46 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 102 | 2 | 1943–2026 | 14 |
| 47 | person against claim | Dunaway v. WH Hopper & Associates, Inc. | 100 | 2 | 1977–2025 | 5 |
| 48 | bench bar | Wells v. State | 99 | 2 | 1954–2025 | 5 |
| 49 | warrant requirement | Barry v. State | 98 | 2 | 1920–2026 | 11 |
| 50 | jnov motion | Bush v. State | 97 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 8 |
| 51 | lesser offense instruction | Mease v. State | 96 | 2 | 1989–2024 | 5 |
| 52 | alibi defense | Burrell v. State | 94 | 2 | 1951–2025 | 8 |
| 53 | essential element claim | Galloway v. Travelers Ins. Co. | 93 | 2 | 1963–2026 | 17 |
| 54 | qualified privilege | Killebrew v. Jackson City Lines, Inc. | 92 | 2 | 1913–2026 | 8 |
| 55 | chancellor was manifestly error | Armstrong v. Armstrong | 91 | 2 | 1971–2023 | 2 |
| 56 | constitutional right violation | Evans v. State | 90 | 2 | 1965–2026 | 16 |
| 57 | self-defense instruction | Robinson v. State | 90 | 2 | 1957–2025 | 10 |
| 58 | truth claim | Stovall v. State | 90 | 2 | 2006–2022 | 14 |
| 59 | sovereign immunity | Pruett v. City of Rosedale | 88 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 1 |
| 60 | adverse claim | Snowden & McSweeny Co. v. Hanley | 87 | 2 | 1818–2025 | 6 |
| 61 | per se rule | Baker v. State | 87 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 3 |
| 62 | enforceable claim | Forman v. Mississippi Publishers Corp. | 86 | 2 | 1935–2024 | 7 |
| 63 | flight instruction | Pannell v. State | 82 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 5 |
| 64 | relatively broad standard | Peterson v. State | 82 | 2 | 1992–2026 | 8 |
| 65 | insanity defense | Groseclose v. State | 77 | 2 | 1966–2024 | 6 |
| 66 | prima facie violation | Duren v. Missouri | 76 | 2 | 1879–2023 | 5 |
| 67 | factual basis claim | Flight Line, Inc. v. Tanksley | 72 | 2 | 1992–2025 | 3 |
| 68 | proffered instruction | Hester v. State | 72 | 2 | 1970–2022 | 2 |
| 69 | compliance standard | Carr v. Town of Shubuta | 71 | 2 | 1870–2026 | 3 |
| 70 | mercy instruction | Foster v. State | 71 | 1 | 1986–2022 | 1 |
| 71 | rational defense | Emanuel v. State | 69 | 2 | 1912–2023 | 1 |
| 72 | wrongful death claim | Long v. McKinney | 68 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 6 |
| 73 | Mississippi rule | Jamie Lynn Orr v. Mallory Morgan | 67 | 2 | 1953–2023 | 7 |
| 74 | statute of limitations defense | Carr v. Town of Shubuta | 67 | 2 | 1877–2024 | 4 |
| 75 | error error | Gray v. State | 66 | 2 | 1870–2026 | 6 |
| 76 | guilty plea hearing | Ford v. State | 66 | 2 | 1995–2025 | 10 |
| 77 | request for peremptory instruction | McClain v. State | 66 | 2 | 1978–2023 | 1 |
| 78 | record to evaluate claim | Wilcher v. State | 65 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 16 |
| 79 | decent standard | Massey v. Massey | 64 | 2 | 1971–2022 | 1 |
| 80 | judge committed reversible error | Montgomery v. State | 60 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 4 |
| 81 | Miller factors | Parker v. State | 60 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 17 |
| 82 | set out standard | Bush v. State | 60 | 2 | 1974–2017 | 0 |
| 83 | evidence or manifestly error | McNally v. McNally | 59 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 5 |
| 84 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Miranda v. Arizona | 59 | 2 | 1975–2025 | 1 |
| 85 | Smith claim | Strickland v. Washington | 59 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 6 |
| 86 | Solem test | Solem v. Helm | 59 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 6 |
| 87 | apparent case error | May v. May | 58 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 8 |
| 88 | ex post facto violation | California Department of Corrections v. Morales | 58 | 2 | 1976–2023 | 2 |
| 89 | proposed jury instruction | Young v. Guild | 58 | 2 | 1992–2026 | 12 |
| 90 | second prong test | East Ford, Inc. v. Taylor | 58 | 2 | 1984–2022 | 3 |
| 91 | successive-writ bar | Stovall v. State | 58 | 2 | 1992–2026 | 5 |
| 92 | M'Naghten test | Roundtree v. State | 57 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 8 |
| 93 | natural-parent presumption | In re Smith v. Smith | 57 | 2 | 2001–2025 | 10 |
| 94 | refused instruction | Purina Mills, Inc. v. Moak | 57 | 2 | 1919–2025 | 3 |
| 95 | set forth standard | Ferguson v. Ferguson | 57 | 2 | 1976–2016 | 0 |
| 96 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 57 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 5 |
| 97 | individual instruction | Detroit Marine Engineering v. McRee | 56 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 1 |
| 98 | list factors | Dodd v. CITY OF JACKSON, MISS | 55 | 2 | 1986–2025 | 1 |
| 99 | party requesting instruction | Hill v. Dunaway | 55 | 2 | 1986–2025 | 1 |
| 100 | Blockburger test | Blockburger v. United States | 54 | 2 | 1981–2023 | 4 |
| 101 | Williams motion | Tudor v. State | 54 | 2 | 1990–2024 | 4 |
| 102 | equitable estoppel doctrine | PMZ Oil Co. v. Lucroy | 53 | 2 | 1896–2026 | 5 |
| 103 | chancellor committed manifest error | Morrow v. Morrow | 51 | 2 | 1986–2021 | 1 |
| 104 | enforcement of any affirmative defense | MS Credit Center, Inc. v. Horton | 50 | 2 | 2006–2025 | 12 |
| 105 | has a limited standard | McNeil v. Hester | 50 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 9 |
| 106 | twelve factors | Armstrong v. Armstrong | 50 | 2 | 1991–2020 | 0 |
| 107 | assigned error | Brown v. State | 48 | 2 | 1844–2018 | 0 |
| 108 | collateral estoppel doctrine | Dunaway v. WH Hopper & Associates, Inc. | 48 | 2 | 1965–2024 | 3 |
| 109 | performance inquiry | Strickland v. Washington | 48 | 2 | 1988–2022 | 1 |
| 110 | refusal instruction | Duplantis v. State | 48 | 2 | 1889–2024 | 3 |
| 111 | Brown motion | Eaton v. State | 47 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 5 |
| 112 | parol evidence rule | Turner v. Terry | 47 | 2 | 1922–2025 | 2 |
| 113 | public policy exception | McArn v. Allied Bruce-Terminix Co., Inc. | 47 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 8 |
| 114 | challenge to a jury instruction | Burton by Bradford v. Barnett | 46 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 4 |
| 115 | medical malpractice claim | Barner v. Gorman | 46 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 5 |
| 116 | indictment will prejudice defense | Griffin v. State | 45 | 2 | 1997–2025 | 4 |
| 117 | reasonable opportunity challenge | Keyes v. State | 45 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 11 |
| 118 | comparative negligence doctrine | Tharp v. Bunge Corp. | 44 | 2 | 1939–2024 | 4 |
| 119 | detailed analysis | Barker v. Wingo | 44 | 2 | 1956–2025 | 6 |
| 120 | Jones claim | Jones v. State | 44 | 2 | 1963–2026 | 4 |
| 121 | record to address claim | Archer v. State | 44 | 2 | 2004–2026 | 5 |
| 122 | savings clause | Cole v. State | 44 | 2 | 1958–2024 | 2 |
| 123 | Sixth Amendment violation | Doggett v. United States | 44 | 2 | 1982–2020 | 0 |
| 124 | theories defense | Manuel v. State | 44 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 11 |
| 125 | Biggers factors | Neil v. Biggers | 43 | 2 | 1982–2020 | 0 |
| 126 | clean hands doctrine | Bailey v. Bailey | 43 | 2 | 1938–2026 | 3 |
| 127 | knowing and voluntary waiver | Veal v. State | 43 | 2 | 1984–2025 | 1 |
| 128 | law of the case doctrine | Mauck v. Columbus Hotel Co. | 43 | 2 | 1917–2025 | 2 |
| 129 | mtca immunity | Estate of Grimes v. Warrington | 43 | 2 | 2004–2024 | 5 |
| 130 | prison mailbox rule | Sykes v. State | 43 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 6 |
| 131 | separation of powers doctrine | Newell v. State | 43 | 2 | 1969–2020 | 0 |
| 132 | aiding and abetting instruction | Hornburger v. State | 42 | 2 | 1990–2019 | 0 |
| 133 | Eighth Amendment bar | Payne v. Tennessee | 42 | 2 | 1986–2025 | 2 |
| 134 | entrapment defense | Hopson v. State | 42 | 2 | 1986–2024 | 2 |
| 135 | Fourth Amendment violation | Lawrence v. State | 41 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 6 |
| 136 | lack instruction | Jones v. State | 41 | 2 | 1965–2024 | 4 |
| 137 | legitimate claim | Board of Regents of State Colleges v. Roth | 41 | 2 | 1977–2024 | 3 |
| 138 | lesser included instruction | Mease v. State | 41 | 2 | 1989–2023 | 1 |
| 139 | res ipsa loquitur doctrine | DeLaughter v. Womack | 41 | 2 | 1917–2022 | 1 |
| 140 | two part test | Strickland v. Washington | 41 | 2 | 1987–2024 | 1 |
| 141 | before and after rule | Mississippi State Highway Commission v. Hillman | 40 | 2 | 1959–2025 | 1 |
| 142 | four Barker factors | Barker v. Wingo | 40 | 2 | 1989–2016 | 0 |
| 143 | attorney-client privilege | Upjohn Co. v. United States | 38 | 2 | 1974–2024 | 3 |
| 144 | guilty plea involves waiver | Boykin v. Alabama | 38 | 2 | 1992–2019 | 0 |
| 145 | opportunity to pursue claim | Wallace v. Jones | 38 | 2 | 1990–2025 | 6 |
| 146 | Peterson factors | Peterson v. State | 38 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 6 |
| 147 | polygraph test | Weatherspoon v. State | 38 | 2 | 1975–2022 | 1 |
| 148 | public-policy function test | Jones v. Mississippi Dept. of Transp. | 38 | 2 | 1998–2025 | 6 |
| 149 | has adopted rule | Cole v. State | 37 | 2 | 1953–2023 | 2 |
| 150 | party exercising challenge | Stewart v. State | 37 | 2 | 1990–2021 | 1 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.