The doctrines South Dakota 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 | State v. Goodroad | 685 | 1 | 1982–2026 | 80 |
| 2 | de novo standard | Sherburn v. Patterson Farms, Inc. | 546 | 1 | 1975–2026 | 114 |
| 3 | fundamental error | Arneson v. Arneson | 271 | 1 | 1897–2026 | 84 |
| 4 | due process clause | International Shoe Co. v. Washington | 155 | 1 | 1933–2025 | 23 |
| 5 | plain error | State v. Nelson | 133 | 1 | 1890–2026 | 21 |
| 6 | prejudicial error | State v. Michalek | 123 | 1 | 1913–2026 | 10 |
| 7 | affirmative defense | Lang v. Burns | 108 | 1 | 1894–2026 | 11 |
| 8 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 107 | 1 | 1969–2025 | 6 |
| 9 | application of a legal standard | Spenner v. CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA | 83 | 1 | 1991–2026 | 10 |
| 10 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 79 | 1 | 1959–2024 | 2 |
| 11 | hearsay rule | State v. McCafferty | 76 | 1 | 1909–2026 | 8 |
| 12 | warrant requirement | State v. Hess | 72 | 1 | 1975–2024 | 7 |
| 13 | sovereign immunity | High-Grade Oil Co., Inc. v. Sommer | 57 | 1 | 1975–2026 | 3 |
| 14 | equal protection clause | City of Aberdeen v. Meidinger | 49 | 1 | 1937–2026 | 2 |
| 15 | res judicata doctrine | Black Hills Jewelry Manufacturing Co. v. Felco Jewel Industries, Inc. | 49 | 1 | 1932–2026 | 7 |
| 16 | Fourth Amendment violation | Whren v. United States | 45 | 1 | 1967–2024 | 3 |
| 17 | harmless error | State v. Webb | 45 | 1 | 1972–2026 | 4 |
| 18 | reasonable doubt error | Chapman v. California | 42 | 1 | 1911–2022 | 2 |
| 19 | confrontation clause | Dutton v. Evans | 40 | 1 | 1971–2026 | 3 |
| 20 | separation of powers doctrine | Gray v. Gienapp | 38 | 1 | 1968–2026 | 6 |
| 21 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 38 | 1 | 1987–2024 | 4 |
| 22 | double jeopardy clause | State v. Grey Owl | 35 | 1 | 1975–2025 | 5 |
| 23 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 35 | 1 | 1975–2025 | 2 |
| 24 | clear and convincing standard | Matter of DB | 34 | 1 | 1956–2026 | 2 |
| 25 | Daubert hearing | Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 34 | 1 | 1996–2026 | 7 |
| 26 | Brady violation | Strickler v. Greene | 33 | 1 | 1981–2026 | 5 |
| 27 | free and intelligent waiver | Nachtigall v. Erickson | 33 | 1 | 1974–2026 | 1 |
| 28 | good faith exception | United States v. Leon | 32 | 1 | 1982–2020 | 0 |
| 29 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 31 | 1 | 1986–2026 | 8 |
| 30 | burden of showing error | State v. Nelson | 29 | 1 | 1997–2026 | 6 |
| 31 | per se rule | State v. Horse | 29 | 1 | 1975–2025 | 3 |
| 32 | motions hearing | State v. Wright | 27 | 1 | 1935–2024 | 2 |
| 33 | transfer hearing | State v. Harris | 27 | 1 | 1976–2016 | 0 |
| 34 | parol evidence rule | Janssen v. Tusha | 26 | 1 | 1929–2025 | 2 |
| 35 | ineffective assistance claim | State v. Golliher-Weyer | 25 | 1 | 1988–2026 | 11 |
| 36 | totality of the circumstances analysis | Monette v. Weber | 25 | 1 | 1980–2019 | 0 |
| 37 | Eighth Amendment analysis | State v. Rice | 24 | 1 | 1980–2024 | 5 |
| 38 | proposed jury instruction | State v. Downing | 24 | 1 | 1978–2026 | 7 |
| 39 | time of the alleged error | Strickland v. Washington | 24 | 1 | 1987–2019 | 0 |
| 40 | American rule | In Re South Dakota Microsoft Antitrust Litigation | 23 | 1 | 1892–2025 | 3 |
| 41 | error was a prejudicial error | Supreme Pork, Inc. v. Master Blaster, Inc. | 23 | 1 | 2013–2025 | 11 |
| 42 | material factors | Kressly v. Kressly | 23 | 1 | 1895–2018 | 0 |
| 43 | odd-lot doctrine | Shepherd v. Moorman Manufacturing | 23 | 1 | 1988–2024 | 2 |
| 44 | party claiming error | State v. Andrews | 23 | 1 | 1987–2018 | 0 |
| 45 | preponderance of the evidence standard | United States v. Arvizu | 23 | 1 | 1975–2026 | 3 |
| 46 | proportionality principle | Harmelin v. Michigan | 23 | 1 | 1985–2024 | 2 |
| 47 | public interest exception | In Re the Alleged Mental Illness of Woodruff | 23 | 1 | 1974–2026 | 2 |
| 48 | reasonable suspicion standard | State v. Anderson | 23 | 1 | 1983–2026 | 2 |
| 49 | South Dakota rule | Moore v. Michelin Tire Co., Inc. | 23 | 1 | 1968–2014 | 0 |
| 50 | res ipsa loquitur doctrine | Barger v. Chelpon | 22 | 1 | 1942–2021 | 1 |
| 51 | bench bar | Matter of CJH | 21 | 1 | 1910–2022 | 2 |
| 52 | emergency doctrine | Hodges v. Snyder | 21 | 1 | 1895–2011 | 0 |
| 53 | misapplies rule | State v. Guthrie | 21 | 1 | 2001–2026 | 7 |
| 54 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 21 | 1 | 1991–2018 | 0 |
| 55 | habeas hearing | Lodermeier v. Class | 20 | 1 | 1992–2022 | 1 |
| 56 | party cannot claim | Miller v. Stevens | 20 | 1 | 1965–2002 | 0 |
| 57 | personal privilege | Hafner v. Delano | 20 | 1 | 1894–2023 | 1 |
| 58 | qualified immunity | Harlow v. Fitzgerald | 20 | 1 | 1964–2021 | 2 |
| 59 | bad faith claim | Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad v. Acuity | 19 | 1 | 1973–2026 | 2 |
| 60 | Blockburger test | Blockburger v. United States | 19 | 1 | 1988–2019 | 0 |
| 61 | elementary rule | McPhaul v. Lapsley | 19 | 1 | 1894–2026 | 1 |
| 62 | estoppel claim | Artz v. Meyers | 19 | 1 | 1894–2021 | 2 |
| 63 | lesser included offense instruction | State v. Gillespie | 19 | 1 | 1986–2019 | 0 |
| 64 | party alleging error | Shaffer v. Honeywell, Inc. | 19 | 1 | 1896–2010 | 0 |
| 65 | circumstances standard | Small v. McKennan Hospital | 18 | 1 | 1940–2024 | 1 |
| 66 | first prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 18 | 1 | 1976–2025 | 1 |
| 67 | mootness doctrine | In Re the Alleged Mental Illness of Woodruff | 18 | 1 | 1978–2026 | 3 |
| 68 | public policy exception | Johnson v. Kreiser's, Inc. | 18 | 1 | 1910–2025 | 2 |
| 69 | attorney-client privilege | State v. Catch the Bear | 17 | 1 | 1966–2026 | 2 |
| 70 | change of plea hearing | Monette v. Weber | 17 | 1 | 1999–2024 | 2 |
| 71 | conviction bar | State v. Mouttet | 17 | 1 | 1982–2023 | 1 |
| 72 | equitable estoppel doctrine | Crouse v. Crouse | 17 | 1 | 1942–2026 | 3 |
| 73 | form immunity | Adams v. State | 17 | 1 | 1921–2024 | 2 |
| 74 | minority rule | Baker v. Slack | 17 | 1 | 1918–2015 | 0 |
| 75 | probable cause test | Illinois v. Gates | 17 | 1 | 1975–2019 | 0 |
| 76 | rational basis test | City of Aberdeen v. Meidinger | 17 | 1 | 1987–2026 | 1 |
| 77 | alibi defense | People v. Jones | 16 | 1 | 1945–2007 | 0 |
| 78 | causation requirement | Caldwell v. John Morrell & Co. | 16 | 1 | 1992–2020 | 0 |
| 79 | seven factors | State v. Harris | 16 | 1 | 1981–2025 | 2 |
| 80 | statute of limitations defense | Cooper v. James | 16 | 1 | 1912–2025 | 3 |
| 81 | clear and convincing evidence standard | Santosky v. Kramer | 15 | 1 | 1975–2011 | 0 |
| 82 | collateral estoppel doctrine | Cook v. Rezek | 15 | 1 | 1979–2026 | 1 |
| 83 | denial of some claim | Barnum v. Ewing | 15 | 1 | 1936–2020 | 0 |
| 84 | Frye test | Frye v. United States | 15 | 1 | 1985–2026 | 1 |
| 85 | history rule | Chevron Oil Co. v. Huson | 15 | 1 | 1974–2025 | 2 |
| 86 | implied waiver | Hinkle v. Hargens | 15 | 1 | 1957–2026 | 2 |
| 87 | list factors | Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael | 15 | 1 | 1990–2026 | 4 |
| 88 | needs standard | Jones v. Jones | 15 | 1 | 1992–2017 | 0 |
| 89 | second prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 15 | 1 | 1985–2023 | 1 |
| 90 | Sixth Amendment violation | Doggett v. United States | 15 | 1 | 1969–2026 | 2 |
| 91 | advantage of seeing hearing | In Re the Discipline of Mines | 14 | 1 | 1993–2025 | 4 |
| 92 | departure rule | Merrill Ex Rel. Merrill v. Birhanzel | 14 | 1 | 1966–2024 | 1 |
| 93 | Fuerstenberg factors | Fuerstenberg v. Fuerstenberg | 14 | 1 | 2009–2025 | 3 |
| 94 | generally accepted rule | Wonder Life Company v. Liddy | 14 | 1 | 1916–2017 | 0 |
| 95 | guilty party claim | Somers v. Somers | 14 | 1 | 1933–2010 | 0 |
| 96 | legal malpractice claim | Chem-Age Industries, Inc. v. Glover | 14 | 1 | 1983–2023 | 1 |
| 97 | mens rea requirement | State v. Jones | 14 | 1 | 2003–2023 | 4 |
| 98 | poisonous tree doctrine | Wong Sun v. United States | 14 | 1 | 1977–2024 | 1 |
| 99 | res judicata serves as claim preclusion doctrine | Black Hills Jewelry Manufacturing Co. v. Felco Jewel Industries, Inc. | 14 | 1 | 1983–2018 | 0 |
| 100 | second part test | City of Aberdeen v. Meidinger | 14 | 1 | 1975–2015 | 0 |
| 101 | blood alcohol test | South Dakota v. Neville | 13 | 1 | 1969–2022 | 1 |
| 102 | business records exception | State v. Brown | 13 | 1 | 1953–2026 | 5 |
| 103 | corroboration requirement | State v. Cates | 13 | 1 | 2001–2024 | 1 |
| 104 | exhaustion principle | Mordhorst v. Egert | 13 | 1 | 1975–2018 | 0 |
| 105 | fair and impartial hearing | Mordhorst v. Egert | 13 | 1 | 1980–2018 | 0 |
| 106 | federal constitutional error | Chapman v. California | 13 | 1 | 1977–2022 | 1 |
| 107 | knowing and intelligent waiver | State v. Van Sickle | 13 | 1 | 1972–2014 | 0 |
| 108 | light rule | Loewen v. Hyman Freightways, Inc. | 13 | 1 | 1922–2009 | 0 |
| 109 | party in interest requirement | Parsons v. South Dakota Lottery Commission | 13 | 1 | 1983–2021 | 2 |
| 110 | prima facie challenge | State v. Lohnes | 13 | 1 | 1928–2023 | 1 |
| 111 | protection privilege | Parr v. Warren-Lamb Lbr. Co. | 13 | 1 | 1972–2015 | 0 |
| 112 | scrutiny test | Miller v. Johnson | 13 | 1 | 1978–2024 | 1 |
| 113 | self-defense claim | Strickland v. Washington | 13 | 1 | 1982–2026 | 5 |
| 114 | structural error | Guthmiller v. Weber | 13 | 1 | 2000–2025 | 6 |
| 115 | Batson challenge | Batson v. Kentucky | 12 | 1 | 1993–2026 | 1 |
| 116 | burden to overcome presumption | In Re Estate of Gustafson | 12 | 1 | 1996–2020 | 0 |
| 117 | civil law rule | Thompson v. Andrews | 12 | 1 | 1958–2020 | 0 |
| 118 | client bar | Ackerman v. Burgard | 12 | 1 | 1961–2026 | 2 |
| 119 | continuing treatment rule | Schoenrock v. Tappe | 12 | 1 | 1986–2013 | 0 |
| 120 | finality rule | Howard v. City of Huron | 12 | 1 | 1905–2020 | 0 |
| 121 | firmly rooted hearsay exception | Ohio v. Roberts | 12 | 1 | 1983–2005 | 0 |
| 122 | intra- and inter-jurisdictional analysis | State v. Bonner | 12 | 1 | 2003–2014 | 0 |
| 123 | knowing and voluntary waiver | Davis v. United States | 12 | 1 | 1987–2019 | 0 |
| 124 | knowledge requirement | State v. Robinson | 12 | 1 | 1984–2026 | 4 |
| 125 | law of the case doctrine | Gamble v. Keyes | 12 | 1 | 1967–2025 | 3 |
| 126 | modifying clause | Lewis v. Annie Creek Mining Co. | 12 | 1 | 1951–2017 | 0 |
| 127 | occurrence rule | Schoenrock v. Tappe | 12 | 1 | 1990–2020 | 0 |
| 128 | respondeat superior doctrine | Kirlin v. Halverson | 12 | 1 | 1932–2021 | 1 |
| 129 | rigid rule | In the Matter of Estate of Siebrasse | 12 | 1 | 1956–2022 | 1 |
| 130 | two-fold test | State v. Kaiser | 12 | 1 | 1986–2005 | 0 |
| 131 | agency hearing | Carlson v. Hudson | 11 | 1 | 1979–2021 | 1 |
| 132 | ancient doctrine | Kirlin v. Halverson | 11 | 1 | 1944–2021 | 1 |
| 133 | attestation clause | Ross v. Taylor | 11 | 1 | 1917–1991 | 0 |
| 134 | compliance doctrine | Wagner v. Truesdell | 11 | 1 | 1996–2024 | 3 |
| 135 | contested hearing | Mayer v. Mayer | 11 | 1 | 1977–2018 | 0 |
| 136 | damage clause | Hurley v. State | 11 | 1 | 1990–2021 | 1 |
| 137 | default hearing | Prentice v. Classen | 11 | 1 | 1985–2024 | 2 |
| 138 | estate claim | Rindal v. Sohler | 11 | 1 | 1926–2024 | 7 |
| 139 | ex post facto clause | Dobbert v. Florida | 11 | 1 | 1993–2022 | 1 |
| 140 | excited utterance exception | White v. Illinois | 11 | 1 | 1974–2012 | 0 |
| 141 | exigent circumstances exception | State v. Heumiller | 11 | 1 | 1978–2021 | 1 |
| 142 | expeditious remedy test | Loesch v. City of Huron | 11 | 1 | 1968–2025 | 2 |
| 143 | first part test | City of Aberdeen v. Meidinger | 11 | 1 | 1951–2011 | 0 |
| 144 | given instruction | State v. Johnston | 11 | 1 | 1911–2016 | 0 |
| 145 | Indian defendant | Red Fox v. Hettich | 11 | 1 | 1920–2024 | 1 |
| 146 | individualized inquiry | Hansen v. South Dakota Department of Transportation | 11 | 1 | 2003–2026 | 5 |
| 147 | inflexible rule | State v. Wright | 11 | 1 | 1958–2025 | 2 |
| 148 | lawsuit cannot claim | Connelly v. Sherwood | 11 | 1 | 1977–2023 | 2 |
| 149 | long standing rule | High-Grade Oil Co., Inc. v. Sommer | 11 | 1 | 1957–2011 | 0 |
| 150 | party contending error | Sundt Corp. v. State Ex Rel. South Dakota Department of Transportation | 11 | 1 | 1996–2006 | 0 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.