The doctrines Ohio 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 | Blakemore v. Blakemore | 6,694 | 23 | 1971–2026 | 1,287 |
| 2 | plain error | State v. Long | 5,287 | 16 | 1834–2026 | 1,203 |
| 3 | manifest weight challenge | State v. Thompkins | 3,234 | 7 | 1990–2026 | 1,004 |
| 4 | res judicata doctrine | State v. Perry | 2,793 | 11 | 1943–2026 | 537 |
| 5 | de novo standard | Village of Grafton v. Ohio Edison Co. | 2,702 | 21 | 1948–2026 | 835 |
| 6 | affirmative defense | State v. Melchior | 2,190 | 22 | 1904–2026 | 431 |
| 7 | second assignment error | State v. Thompkins | 2,000 | 11 | 1927–2026 | 350 |
| 8 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 1,408 | 5 | 1989–2026 | 432 |
| 9 | warrant requirement | State v. Moore | 1,118 | 10 | 1974–2026 | 181 |
| 10 | third assignment error | State v. Thompkins | 1,104 | 12 | 1942–2026 | 208 |
| 11 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 1,079 | 3 | 1987–2026 | 273 |
| 12 | due process violation | State v. Johnston | 1,063 | 22 | 1908–2026 | 210 |
| 13 | sufficiency of the evidence claim | State v. Jenks | 1,032 | 4 | 1972–2026 | 433 |
| 14 | hearsay rule | State v. Dever | 1,027 | 8 | 1925–2026 | 177 |
| 15 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 1,021 | 17 | 1967–2026 | 133 |
| 16 | permanent custody hearing | In re William S. | 919 | 4 | 1980–2026 | 352 |
| 17 | party has a meritorious defense | GTE Automatic Electric, Inc. v. ARC Industries, Inc. | 916 | 4 | 1978–2026 | 111 |
| 18 | seriousness and recidivism factors | State v. Arnett | 906 | 3 | 1999–2026 | 284 |
| 19 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 827 | 12 | 1963–2026 | 137 |
| 20 | cumulative error | State v. DeMarco | 763 | 5 | 1984–2026 | 258 |
| 21 | law of the case doctrine | Nolan v. Nolan | 682 | 4 | 1924–2026 | 144 |
| 22 | deviation from a legal rule | State v. Barnes | 656 | 9 | 2001–2026 | 255 |
| 23 | fundamental principle | Armstrong v. Manzo | 653 | 14 | 1876–2026 | 95 |
| 24 | prejudicial error | State v. DeMarco | 607 | 4 | 1928–2026 | 89 |
| 25 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 594 | 6 | 1978–2026 | 101 |
| 26 | obvious error | Matthews v. Matthews | 593 | 11 | 1987–2026 | 182 |
| 27 | fourth assignment error | Strickland v. Washington | 586 | 3 | 1943–2026 | 90 |
| 28 | separation of powers doctrine | Woods v. Telb | 574 | 5 | 1971–2026 | 213 |
| 29 | moving party satisfies requirement | Dresher v. Burt | 540 | 1 | 1998–2026 | 19 |
| 30 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 511 | 5 | 1966–2026 | 69 |
| 31 | Anders brief | Anders v. California | 509 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 118 |
| 32 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 497 | 4 | 1996–2026 | 149 |
| 33 | speedy trial claim | City of Brecksville v. Cook | 496 | 9 | 1978–2026 | 144 |
| 34 | invited error | Hal Artz Lincoln-Mercury, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co. | 495 | 3 | 1990–2026 | 137 |
| 35 | clear and convincing standard | In re Adoption of Holcomb | 475 | 6 | 1983–2026 | 83 |
| 36 | touchstone analysis | Smith v. Phillips | 467 | 4 | 1982–2026 | 71 |
| 37 | harmless error | State v. Perry | 462 | 4 | 1968–2026 | 161 |
| 38 | Fourth Amendment violation | Schneckloth v. Bustamonte | 427 | 5 | 1970–2026 | 55 |
| 39 | double jeopardy clause | Tibbs v. Florida | 424 | 7 | 1971–2025 | 42 |
| 40 | assigned error | Knapp v. Edwards Laboratories | 416 | 5 | 1908–2026 | 97 |
| 41 | burden of showing error | Knapp v. Edwards Laboratories | 405 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 60 |
| 42 | open and obvious doctrine | Armstrong v. Best Buy Co. | 380 | 4 | 1997–2026 | 57 |
| 43 | Brady violation | Brady v. Maryland | 374 | 6 | 1980–2026 | 130 |
| 44 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 373 | 9 | 1984–2026 | 45 |
| 45 | performance defense | Strickland v. Washington | 352 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 56 |
| 46 | claim of plain error | Goldfuss v. Davidson | 351 | 5 | 1999–2026 | 140 |
| 47 | equal protection clause | Conley v. Shearer | 340 | 8 | 1920–2026 | 37 |
| 48 | fifth assignment error | Strickland v. Washington | 339 | 2 | 1940–2026 | 59 |
| 49 | self-defense claim | State v. Messenger | 331 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 220 |
| 50 | manifest-weight-of-the-evidence standard | State v. Thompkins | 326 | 3 | 1996–2026 | 206 |
| 51 | plain view doctrine | Horton v. California | 323 | 6 | 1973–2026 | 36 |
| 52 | community control violation | State v. Fraley | 319 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 112 |
| 53 | qualified privilege | Hahn v. Kotten | 317 | 11 | 1909–2026 | 34 |
| 54 | Ohio rule | State v. Hamblin | 305 | 21 | 1875–2026 | 47 |
| 55 | two prong analysis | Strickland v. Washington | 305 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 19 |
| 56 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 295 | 6 | 1974–2026 | 86 |
| 57 | attorney-client privilege | Upjohn Co. v. United States | 291 | 6 | 1971–2026 | 66 |
| 58 | good faith exception | United States v. Leon | 285 | 5 | 1909–2026 | 65 |
| 59 | probable cause hearing | State v. Klosterman | 284 | 5 | 1978–2026 | 73 |
| 60 | weight of the evidence challenge | State v. Thompkins | 281 | 2 | 1995–2026 | 38 |
| 61 | reasonable probability error | State v. Rogers | 280 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 204 |
| 62 | Fourth Amendment warrant requirement | Terry v. Ohio | 276 | 5 | 1976–2025 | 30 |
| 63 | aggravating and mitigating factors | Disciplinary Counsel v. Broeren | 274 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 25 |
| 64 | substantive law claim | Hoyt, Inc. v. Gordon & Associates, Inc. | 270 | 5 | 1994–2026 | 95 |
| 65 | evidence is the legal standard | State v. Smith | 267 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 27 |
| 66 | three-tiered analysis | Cater v. City of Cleveland | 260 | 4 | 1999–2026 | 53 |
| 67 | automobile exception | State v. Moore | 258 | 5 | 1929–2026 | 67 |
| 68 | structural error | Arizona v. Fulminante | 250 | 3 | 1996–2026 | 60 |
| 69 | employment-at-will doctrine | Greeley v. Miami Valley Maintenance Contractors, Inc. | 249 | 6 | 1984–2026 | 16 |
| 70 | mootness doctrine | In Re A.G. | 248 | 4 | 1975–2026 | 110 |
| 71 | merger doctrine | State v. Botta | 245 | 5 | 1896–2026 | 52 |
| 72 | impartial hearing | State v. Peterseim | 244 | 3 | 1988–2026 | 46 |
| 73 | Alford plea | North Carolina v. Alford | 241 | 4 | 1990–2026 | 67 |
| 74 | parol evidence rule | Galmish v. Cicchini | 234 | 7 | 1937–2026 | 33 |
| 75 | two assignments error | State v. Thompkins | 233 | 2 | 1974–2026 | 30 |
| 76 | first prong test | State v. Bradley | 227 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 41 |
| 77 | rational basis test | Menefee v. Queen City Metro | 222 | 6 | 1975–2026 | 25 |
| 78 | record at the sentencing hearing | State v. Comer | 220 | 3 | 1999–2026 | 21 |
| 79 | ex post facto clause | State v. Cook | 219 | 3 | 1993–2024 | 6 |
| 80 | oral hearing | Potter v. City of Troy | 217 | 6 | 1966–2026 | 42 |
| 81 | respondeat superior doctrine | Byrd v. Faber | 215 | 8 | 1883–2026 | 37 |
| 82 | criminal proceeding error | Strickland v. Washington | 214 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 13 |
| 83 | Batson challenge | Batson v. Kentucky | 212 | 3 | 1992–2026 | 27 |
| 84 | determines hearing | Kalain v. Smith | 212 | 4 | 1985–2026 | 37 |
| 85 | aspect rule | State v. Barnes | 204 | 4 | 1995–2026 | 39 |
| 86 | sexual predator hearing | State v. Cook | 204 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 5 |
| 87 | burden-shifting framework | McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green | 203 | 4 | 1990–2026 | 62 |
| 88 | field sobriety test | State v. Homan | 203 | 6 | 1990–2026 | 27 |
| 89 | sixth assignment error | Strickland v. Washington | 203 | 3 | 1957–2026 | 26 |
| 90 | reasonable doubt standard | Chapman v. California | 201 | 4 | 1968–2026 | 36 |
| 91 | Sixth Amendment violation | Strickland v. Washington | 199 | 4 | 1977–2026 | 55 |
| 92 | per se rule | State v. Saffell | 196 | 4 | 1969–2026 | 20 |
| 93 | local rule | Hecht v. Levin | 194 | 4 | 1974–2026 | 31 |
| 94 | essential elements claim | Hargrove v. Tanner | 192 | 5 | 1978–2025 | 9 |
| 95 | lesser included offense instruction | State v. Shane | 191 | 4 | 1975–2026 | 33 |
| 96 | polestar or controlling principle | In re Cunningham | 191 | 5 | 1991–2026 | 116 |
| 97 | evidence is a legal standard | State v. Thompkins | 189 | 1 | 1999–2026 | 46 |
| 98 | defendant asserting claim | Strickland v. Washington | 187 | 1 | 2000–2026 | 76 |
| 99 | best-interest factors | In re A.M. (Slip Opinion) | 186 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 131 |
| 100 | sovereign immunity | Haverlack v. Portage Homes, Inc. | 186 | 8 | 1960–2025 | 16 |
| 101 | clear and convincing evidence standard | State v. Rhodes, Unpublished Decision (5-15-2006) | 185 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 27 |
| 102 | compliance standard | State v. Nero | 184 | 5 | 1896–2026 | 19 |
| 103 | medical claim | Rome v. Flower Memorial Hospital | 182 | 4 | 1976–2026 | 44 |
| 104 | HGN test | State v. Bresson | 179 | 6 | 1990–2026 | 20 |
| 105 | change of plea hearing | State v. Nero | 176 | 4 | 1998–2026 | 73 |
| 106 | second prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 176 | 4 | 1980–2026 | 34 |
| 107 | fails rule | Georgeoff v. O'Brien | 174 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 41 |
| 108 | safety requirement | State ex rel. Teece v. Industrial Commission | 174 | 2 | 1950–2026 | 22 |
| 109 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Argersinger v. Hamlin | 172 | 4 | 1973–2026 | 18 |
| 110 | waiver of any claim | State v. Underwood | 171 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 13 |
| 111 | conclusion sought instruction | Murphy v. Carrollton Manufacturing Co. | 170 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 32 |
| 112 | enumerated factors | In re William S. | 170 | 3 | 1991–2026 | 44 |
| 113 | excited utterance exception | State v. Taylor | 170 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 30 |
| 114 | promissory estoppel doctrine | Wing v. Anchor Media, Ltd. | 168 | 6 | 1984–2026 | 18 |
| 115 | prima facie claim | Duren v. Missouri | 166 | 9 | 1889–2026 | 26 |
| 116 | criminal manifest-weight-of-the-evidence standard | State v. Thompkins | 164 | 3 | 2007–2025 | 38 |
| 117 | de novo sentencing hearing | State v. Singleton | 162 | 3 | 2004–2025 | 11 |
| 118 | allied-offense analysis | State v. Johnson | 161 | 4 | 1980–2026 | 51 |
| 119 | offender at the sentencing hearing | State v. Jordan | 160 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 43 |
| 120 | legal malpractice claim | Zimmie v. Calfee, Halter & Griswold | 158 | 6 | 1989–2026 | 41 |
| 121 | substantial-compliance standard | State v. Sarkozy | 157 | 3 | 1992–2026 | 28 |
| 122 | wrongful death claim | Thompson v. Wing | 157 | 5 | 1959–2025 | 31 |
| 123 | record upon a sufficiency challenge | State v. Jenks | 153 | 1 | 2005–2024 | 2 |
| 124 | second tier analysis | Cater v. City of Cleveland | 151 | 5 | 1993–2026 | 33 |
| 125 | burden of demonstrating error | Knapp v. Edwards Laboratories | 149 | 2 | 1995–2026 | 42 |
| 126 | required statutory factors | State v. Payne | 149 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 69 |
| 127 | transcript of the sentencing hearing | State v. Comer | 149 | 3 | 1999–2026 | 25 |
| 128 | remedial rule | Colley v. Bazell | 147 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 21 |
| 129 | GTE test | GTE Automatic Electric, Inc. v. ARC Industries, Inc. | 146 | 1 | 1990–2026 | 26 |
| 130 | unjust enrichment claim | Hambleton v. R.G. Barry Corp. | 143 | 4 | 1986–2026 | 55 |
| 131 | void-for-vagueness doctrine | State v. Williams | 142 | 7 | 1972–2026 | 18 |
| 132 | American rule | Wilborn v. Bank One Corp. | 141 | 6 | 1869–2026 | 44 |
| 133 | insanity defense | State v. Wilcox | 141 | 2 | 1969–2026 | 32 |
| 134 | burden of demonstrating plain error | State v. Quarterman (Slip Opinion) | 140 | 4 | 2002–2026 | 74 |
| 135 | medical malpractice claim | Bruni v. Tatsumi | 140 | 4 | 1983–2026 | 28 |
| 136 | Mother motion | Miller v. Miller | 140 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 74 |
| 137 | mandamus claim | State ex rel. Cincinnati Enquirer, Div. of Gannett Satellite Info. Network, Inc. v. Dupuis | 138 | 2 | 1944–2026 | 49 |
| 138 | intentional tort claim | Fyffe v. Jeno's, Inc. | 137 | 4 | 1986–2025 | 5 |
| 139 | statute of limitations defense | Hamilton v. Ohio Savings Bank | 136 | 6 | 1939–2026 | 31 |
| 140 | defamation claim | Gosden v. Louis | 135 | 5 | 1990–2026 | 29 |
| 141 | laches doctrine | Connin v. Bailey | 134 | 7 | 1889–2026 | 26 |
| 142 | three assignments error | State v. Thompkins | 134 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 22 |
| 143 | tripartite test | Harless v. Willis Day Warehousing Co. | 134 | 2 | 1984–2025 | 7 |
| 144 | forfeited error | State v. Rogers | 131 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 48 |
| 145 | work product doctrine | Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, L.L.P. v. Givaudan Flavors Corp. | 131 | 4 | 1978–2026 | 17 |
| 146 | divorce hearing | Bowen v. Bowen | 130 | 1 | 1951–2026 | 30 |
| 147 | hearing requirement | State v. Szefcyk | 130 | 2 | 1960–2026 | 35 |
| 148 | Barker factors | Doggett v. United States | 129 | 4 | 1985–2026 | 31 |
| 149 | manifest injustice standard | State v. Smith | 129 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 30 |
| 150 | results test | City of Westerville v. Cunningham | 129 | 9 | 1963–2026 | 20 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.