The doctrines Tennessee 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 of Tennessee v. Susan Renee Bise | 3,512 | 4 | 1978–2026 | 653 |
| 2 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 1,517 | 3 | 1989–2026 | 263 |
| 3 | de novo standard | Fields v. State | 1,479 | 3 | 1962–2026 | 125 |
| 4 | jury conviction removes presumption | State v. Tuggle | 1,363 | 3 | 1992–2026 | 149 |
| 5 | clear and unequivocal rule | State v. Adkisson | 1,003 | 3 | 1991–2026 | 205 |
| 6 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 942 | 3 | 1991–2026 | 170 |
| 7 | affirmative defense | McCarley v. West Quality Food Service | 861 | 5 | 1928–2026 | 79 |
| 8 | ineffective assistance claim | Goad v. State | 803 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 177 |
| 9 | enhancement and mitigating factors | State v. Carter | 726 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 28 |
| 10 | mitigating and enhancement factors | State v. Taylor | 683 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 71 |
| 11 | plain error | State v. Adkisson | 654 | 3 | 1982–2026 | 197 |
| 12 | warrant requirement | State v. Yeargan | 623 | 3 | 1976–2026 | 51 |
| 13 | purely de novo standard | Fields v. State | 612 | 3 | 1996–2026 | 28 |
| 14 | deficiency prejudiced defense | Strickland v. Washington | 604 | 3 | 1987–2026 | 70 |
| 15 | defendant removes presumption | State v. Carruthers | 602 | 3 | 1981–2026 | 68 |
| 16 | guilty verdict removes presumption | State v. Tuggle | 545 | 3 | 1986–2026 | 151 |
| 17 | due process clause | State v. Edgin | 541 | 3 | 1914–2026 | 43 |
| 18 | hearsay rule | Edward Thomas Kendrick, III v. State of Tennessee | 416 | 4 | 1918–2026 | 40 |
| 19 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 397 | 3 | 1969–2026 | 36 |
| 20 | essential element claim | Hannan v. Alltel Publishing Co. | 391 | 4 | 1966–2026 | 48 |
| 21 | adverse effect defense | Strickland v. Washington | 388 | 1 | 1987–2026 | 37 |
| 22 | clear and convincing evidence standard | In Re Audrey S. | 374 | 4 | 1996–2026 | 131 |
| 23 | harmless error | State v. Allen | 369 | 3 | 1959–2026 | 34 |
| 24 | prejudice prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 366 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 37 |
| 25 | reasonable doubt error | State v. Rodriguez | 357 | 3 | 1970–2026 | 57 |
| 26 | clear and convincing standard | In Re Frr, III | 341 | 4 | 1990–2026 | 53 |
| 27 | preponderance of the evidence standard | Brandon v. Wright | 300 | 4 | 1980–2026 | 15 |
| 28 | petitioner at the evidentiary hearing | Black v. State | 286 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 20 |
| 29 | cognizable claim | Hickman v. State | 279 | 3 | 1994–2026 | 30 |
| 30 | petition for writ error | State v. Mixon | 277 | 3 | 1929–2026 | 25 |
| 31 | cumulative error | State v. Hester | 276 | 3 | 2001–2026 | 122 |
| 32 | guilty plea hearing | State v. Keen | 276 | 3 | 1971–2026 | 41 |
| 33 | outcome analysis | In Re Audrey S. | 265 | 3 | 2004–2026 | 120 |
| 34 | interests analysis | White v. Moody | 253 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 130 |
| 35 | Brady violation | State v. Edgin | 241 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 37 |
| 36 | harmful effect error | State v. Killebrew | 228 | 3 | 1992–2026 | 43 |
| 37 | conclusion of the sentencing hearing | State v. Williams | 226 | 2 | 1997–2024 | 3 |
| 38 | double jeopardy clause | State v. Denton | 224 | 3 | 1975–2026 | 11 |
| 39 | res judicata doctrine | Lee v. Hall | 224 | 5 | 1918–2026 | 41 |
| 40 | exclusionary rule | Wong Sun v. United States | 222 | 3 | 1959–2026 | 15 |
| 41 | fundamental principle | Mathews v. Eldridge | 217 | 4 | 1897–2026 | 18 |
| 42 | enhancement factors | Blakely v. Washington | 211 | 2 | 1986–2025 | 10 |
| 43 | considers the following factors | State v. Ashby | 208 | 3 | 2000–2025 | 4 |
| 44 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 204 | 3 | 1968–2026 | 31 |
| 45 | pure de novo standard | Southern Constructors, Inc. v. Loudon County Board of Education | 202 | 3 | 1998–2025 | 1 |
| 46 | valuable privilege | State v. Bane | 199 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 27 |
| 47 | sufficiency of the evidence challenge | Jackson v. Virginia | 191 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 52 |
| 48 | offense must outweigh all factors | State v. Hartley | 189 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 32 |
| 49 | petition without hearing | Summers v. State | 188 | 3 | 1921–2026 | 19 |
| 50 | Adkisson test | State v. Smith | 187 | 3 | 2000–2026 | 42 |
| 51 | party responsible error | State v. Killebrew | 179 | 3 | 1982–2026 | 35 |
| 52 | probation revocation hearing | State v. Mitchell | 165 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 22 |
| 53 | state may terminate claim | Burford v. State | 165 | 3 | 1992–2026 | 11 |
| 54 | election requirement | State v. Brown | 164 | 4 | 1906–2026 | 22 |
| 55 | jury-out hearing | Momon v. State | 163 | 3 | 1976–2026 | 12 |
| 56 | existence of plain error | State v. Smith | 159 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 37 |
| 57 | Burns test | State v. Burns | 156 | 3 | 1999–2022 | 1 |
| 58 | lesser included offense instruction | State v. Allen | 156 | 2 | 1995–2026 | 5 |
| 59 | inappropriate factors | State v. Shelton | 150 | 2 | 1992–2010 | 0 |
| 60 | statutory enhancement factors | State v. Carter | 148 | 1 | 1997–2026 | 21 |
| 61 | enhancing and mitigating factors | State v. Ashby | 143 | 2 | 1993–2019 | 0 |
| 62 | list factors | In Re SLA | 143 | 3 | 1997–2026 | 31 |
| 63 | capital sentencing hearing | State v. Bland | 138 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 6 |
| 64 | determinations presumption | State v. Ashby | 135 | 3 | 1999–2022 | 1 |
| 65 | equal protection clause | Powers v. Ohio | 135 | 3 | 1919–2025 | 7 |
| 66 | post-conviction evidentiary hearing | Tidwell v. State | 134 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 49 |
| 67 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 133 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 21 |
| 68 | divorce hearing | Alford v. Alford | 132 | 2 | 1953–2026 | 15 |
| 69 | law of the case doctrine | Memphis Publishing Co. v. Tennessee Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Board | 132 | 4 | 1996–2026 | 23 |
| 70 | Sixth Amendment claim | Baxter v. Rose | 131 | 3 | 1981–2026 | 4 |
| 71 | statute of limitations defense | Workman v. State | 131 | 4 | 1984–2026 | 11 |
| 72 | Blockburger test | State v. Watkins | 130 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 10 |
| 73 | material evidence standard | Alley v. Consolidation Coal Co. | 129 | 4 | 1932–2025 | 16 |
| 74 | two most important factors | Varley v. Varley | 127 | 2 | 1991–2025 | 7 |
| 75 | Bise standard | State of Tennessee v. Christine Caudle | 126 | 3 | 2012–2026 | 44 |
| 76 | reviews claim | Strickland v. Washington | 125 | 3 | 1997–2024 | 1 |
| 77 | elements of the termination claim | In Re Bernard T. | 123 | 2 | 2010–2026 | 26 |
| 78 | prima facie claim | Duren v. Missouri | 123 | 3 | 1940–2025 | 10 |
| 79 | case-by-case analysis | State v. Bingham | 121 | 3 | 1985–2026 | 5 |
| 80 | Tennessee rule | Harris v. Chern | 119 | 4 | 1926–2025 | 6 |
| 81 | parol evidence rule | GRW Enterprises, Inc. v. Davis | 118 | 2 | 1932–2026 | 8 |
| 82 | Fourth Amendment violation | State v. Huddleston | 117 | 3 | 1969–2026 | 14 |
| 83 | mitigating and enhancing factors | State v. Boston | 117 | 1 | 1986–2022 | 1 |
| 84 | number of circumstantial factors | Blankenship v. State | 115 | 1 | 1996–2025 | 8 |
| 85 | sovereign immunity | Hawks v. City of Westmoreland | 114 | 3 | 1973–2026 | 6 |
| 86 | fact-intensive inquiry | White v. Moody | 113 | 3 | 2000–2026 | 25 |
| 87 | petitioner raising claim | Strickland v. Washington | 113 | 1 | 1994–2015 | 0 |
| 88 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 112 | 3 | 1972–2026 | 17 |
| 89 | per se rule | State v. Mixon | 111 | 3 | 1987–2026 | 5 |
| 90 | two prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 108 | 2 | 1994–2024 | 10 |
| 91 | especially mitigated standard | State v. Fields | 107 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 5 |
| 92 | essential elements claim | Staples v. CBL & Associates, Inc. | 107 | 4 | 1976–2024 | 3 |
| 93 | importance of the particular requirement | In Re Valentine | 106 | 2 | 2004–2025 | 35 |
| 94 | sentence presumption | State v. Ashby | 106 | 3 | 1976–2025 | 3 |
| 95 | affirmative duty rule | Jackson v. Virginia | 104 | 3 | 2010–2025 | 18 |
| 96 | careful balancing of many factors | Kinard v. Kinard | 104 | 2 | 1996–2024 | 13 |
| 97 | Wilkerson factors | State v. Wilkerson | 104 | 1 | 2000–2026 | 27 |
| 98 | non-structural constitutional error | State v. Rodriguez | 103 | 2 | 2006–2026 | 25 |
| 99 | speedy trial analysis | State v. Simmons | 103 | 3 | 1969–2026 | 19 |
| 100 | right to present defense | State v. Brown | 102 | 3 | 2000–2026 | 18 |
| 101 | defendant falling below standard | Bradshaw v. Daniel | 100 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 13 |
| 102 | Electroplating factors | State v. King | 97 | 3 | 2013–2026 | 33 |
| 103 | illegal sentence claim | State of Tennessee v. James D. Wooden | 96 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 20 |
| 104 | mootness doctrine | McIntyre v. Traughber | 92 | 3 | 1983–2026 | 15 |
| 105 | weight assigned requirement | In Re Valentine | 92 | 2 | 2003–2025 | 28 |
| 106 | Barker analysis | Barker v. Wingo | 91 | 3 | 1987–2026 | 14 |
| 107 | proof of a probation violation | State v. Harkins | 90 | 3 | 1991–2022 | 3 |
| 108 | insanity defense | State v. Flake | 89 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 9 |
| 109 | Aguilar-Spinelli test | State v. Jacumin | 86 | 3 | 1991–2025 | 3 |
| 110 | alibi defense | Smith v. State | 86 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 3 |
| 111 | potential rate error | McDaniel v. CSX Transportation, Inc. | 86 | 3 | 1999–2026 | 13 |
| 112 | comparative fitness analysis | Bah v. Bah | 84 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 3 |
| 113 | American rule | Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. v. Epperson | 83 | 2 | 1887–2026 | 17 |
| 114 | Parker and Electroplating factors | State v. King | 83 | 3 | 2014–2026 | 27 |
| 115 | Mother motion | Bean v. Bean | 79 | 2 | 1998–2026 | 26 |
| 116 | moving party challenge | Hannan v. Alltel Publishing Co. | 79 | 3 | 2008–2019 | 0 |
| 117 | petitioner must overcome presumption | Strickland v. Washington | 79 | 2 | 1998–2011 | 0 |
| 118 | demanding standard | Alabama v. White | 78 | 3 | 1978–2025 | 7 |
| 119 | performance prejudiced defense | Strickland v. Washington | 78 | 1 | 1997–2010 | 0 |
| 120 | standing inquiry | Allen v. Wright | 78 | 3 | 1980–2026 | 6 |
| 121 | discussion standard | State v. Pinkham | 77 | 3 | 1904–2026 | 1 |
| 122 | unrelenting imposition principle | Thompson v. Firemen's Fund Insurance Co. | 77 | 3 | 1991–2026 | 4 |
| 123 | issue for plain error | State v. Adkisson | 76 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 19 |
| 124 | coram nobis claim | Tommy Nunley v. State of Tennessee | 75 | 2 | 1995–2026 | 30 |
| 125 | rational basis test | Tennessee Small School Systems v. McWherter | 75 | 3 | 1976–2025 | 5 |
| 126 | presumption of reasonableness standard | State of Tennessee v. James Allen Pollard | 74 | 2 | 2013–2026 | 35 |
| 127 | bench bar | State v. Preston | 73 | 3 | 1903–2026 | 4 |
| 128 | number of statutory factors | White v. Moody | 73 | 1 | 2013–2026 | 49 |
| 129 | Batson challenge | Batson v. Kentucky | 72 | 3 | 1991–2026 | 10 |
| 130 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Fairchild v. Lockhart | 72 | 3 | 1979–2025 | 10 |
| 131 | sound defense | James Nealy v. Donald A. Cabana, Superintendent of Mississippi State Penitentiary | 70 | 3 | 1874–2021 | 2 |
| 132 | thirteenth juror rule | State v. Moats | 70 | 3 | 1985–2025 | 6 |
| 133 | plain view doctrine | State v. Cothran | 69 | 3 | 1980–2025 | 4 |
| 134 | guiding principle | Bethlehem Steel Corp. v. Ernst & Whinney | 68 | 4 | 1984–2024 | 2 |
| 135 | motion states a colorable claim | State of Tennessee v. James D. Wooden | 68 | 2 | 2015–2026 | 26 |
| 136 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 68 | 2 | 1976–2025 | 3 |
| 137 | charge is prejudicial error | State v. Hodges | 67 | 1 | 1998–2019 | 0 |
| 138 | consequences waiver | State v. Stephenson | 67 | 2 | 1872–2026 | 7 |
| 139 | discretionary rule | Memphis Publishing Co. v. Tennessee Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Board | 67 | 4 | 1982–2026 | 7 |
| 140 | medical malpractice claim | Curtis Myers v. Amisub (SFH), Inc., d/b/a St. Francis Hospital | 67 | 2 | 1986–2024 | 2 |
| 141 | tactical advantage over defense | State v. Wood | 67 | 2 | 1997–2026 | 15 |
| 142 | verdict replaces presumption | State v. Reid | 67 | 2 | 2000–2025 | 14 |
| 143 | Bruton violation | State v. Elliott | 66 | 2 | 1969–2025 | 6 |
| 144 | gross deviation standard | Hodges v. S.C. Toof & Co. | 66 | 3 | 1994–2026 | 6 |
| 145 | thirty-day requirement | State v. Rockwell | 66 | 3 | 1993–2026 | 30 |
| 146 | Burford rule | Sands v. State | 65 | 2 | 1995–2021 | 1 |
| 147 | issue as plain error | State v. Adkisson | 64 | 2 | 2003–2026 | 13 |
| 148 | res ipsa loquitur doctrine | Seavers v. Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge | 64 | 2 | 1930–2026 | 2 |
| 149 | chancellor error | Milligan v. MFA Mutual Insurance Company | 62 | 2 | 1924–2021 | 1 |
| 150 | excited utterance exception | State v. Land | 62 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 8 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.