The doctrines Utah 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. Larsen | 521 | 2 | 1927–2026 | 105 |
| 2 | plain error | State v. Dunn | 480 | 2 | 1936–2026 | 84 |
| 3 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 446 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 138 |
| 4 | correction error | Morton International, Inc. v. Auditing Division of the Utah State Tax Commission | 365 | 2 | 1896–2025 | 18 |
| 5 | due process clause | Lehr v. Robertson | 279 | 2 | 1933–2026 | 22 |
| 6 | affirmative defense | State v. Low | 273 | 2 | 1887–2026 | 47 |
| 7 | correctness standard | Kimball v. Campbell | 232 | 2 | 1882–2026 | 19 |
| 8 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 216 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 98 |
| 9 | cumulative error | State v. Dunn | 194 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 58 |
| 10 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 178 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 50 |
| 11 | fundamental principle | State v. Anderson | 148 | 2 | 1905–2026 | 7 |
| 12 | invited error | State v. Winfield | 142 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 15 |
| 13 | plain language rule | Marion Energy, Inc. v. KFJ Ranch Partnership | 136 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 33 |
| 14 | hearsay rule | State v. Olsen | 132 | 2 | 1924–2026 | 19 |
| 15 | Utah rule | Spencer v. Utah State Bar | 129 | 2 | 1956–2026 | 26 |
| 16 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 127 | 2 | 1970–2025 | 15 |
| 17 | warrant requirement | Katz v. United States | 121 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 7 |
| 18 | Fourth Amendment violation | State v. Fuller | 106 | 2 | 1983–2025 | 17 |
| 19 | exclusionary rule | United States v. Leon | 105 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 7 |
| 20 | law of the case doctrine | IHC Health Services, Inc. v. D & K MANAGEMENT, INC. | 104 | 2 | 1939–2025 | 11 |
| 21 | harmless error | Crookston v. Fire Insurance Exchange | 93 | 2 | 1923–2025 | 11 |
| 22 | interpretation rule | Ostler v. Buhler | 83 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 13 |
| 23 | res judicata doctrine | Mel Trimble Real Estate v. Monte Vista Ranch, Inc. | 80 | 2 | 1919–2024 | 6 |
| 24 | law governing error | State v. Dean | 75 | 2 | 2004–2026 | 23 |
| 25 | lesser included offense instruction | State v. Baker | 75 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 14 |
| 26 | reasonable doubt standard | State v. Baker | 73 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 12 |
| 27 | time the alleged error | State v. Dean | 73 | 2 | 2004–2026 | 22 |
| 28 | per se rule | State v. Brown | 71 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 10 |
| 29 | merger doctrine | State v. Smith | 68 | 2 | 1945–2025 | 9 |
| 30 | exception to the preservation rule | State v. Johnson | 66 | 2 | 2006–2025 | 11 |
| 31 | stare decisis doctrine | State v. Thurman | 66 | 2 | 1895–2025 | 4 |
| 32 | text rule | State v. Lucero | 66 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 20 |
| 33 | equal protection clause | Malan v. Lewis | 64 | 2 | 1921–2026 | 3 |
| 34 | version rule | State v. Houston | 64 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 17 |
| 35 | first part test | State v. Scott | 63 | 2 | 1911–2026 | 22 |
| 36 | parol evidence rule | Tangren Family Trust v. Tangren Ex Rel. Tangren | 63 | 2 | 1921–2026 | 6 |
| 37 | Fifth Amendment privilege | State v. White | 62 | 2 | 1967–2025 | 8 |
| 38 | mootness doctrine | Utah Transit Authority v. Local 382 of the Amalgamated Transit Union | 62 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 15 |
| 39 | Mother motion | In Re Adoption of TH | 61 | 2 | 2001–2025 | 15 |
| 40 | state constitutional analysis | State v. Lafferty | 61 | 2 | 1988–2025 | 4 |
| 41 | facts consistent standard | Kidd v. Kidd | 59 | 2 | 1993–2025 | 19 |
| 42 | marshaling requirement | Jau-Fei Chen v. Stewart | 58 | 2 | 1990–2025 | 4 |
| 43 | statute of limitations defense | Ottens v. McNeil | 58 | 2 | 1906–2026 | 8 |
| 44 | probable cause standard | State v. Clark | 56 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 5 |
| 45 | obvious error | State v. Dunn | 53 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 19 |
| 46 | sufficiency of the evidence claim | State v. Ashcraft | 53 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 18 |
| 47 | claim of plain error | State v. Dunn | 51 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 11 |
| 48 | exceptional circumstances exception | State v. Irwin | 51 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 17 |
| 49 | clear and convincing standard | Essential Botanical Farms, LC v. Kay | 50 | 2 | 1951–2026 | 14 |
| 50 | Shickles factors | State v. Shickles | 50 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 6 |
| 51 | compliance standard | State v. Hoff | 49 | 2 | 1988–2024 | 3 |
| 52 | double jeopardy clause | State v. Harris | 48 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 3 |
| 53 | preponderance of the evidence standard | United States v. Arvizu | 48 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 3 |
| 54 | remand rule | State v. Lee | 48 | 2 | 2001–2026 | 24 |
| 55 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 48 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 7 |
| 56 | permanency hearing | A.E. v. Christean | 47 | 2 | 1999–2025 | 8 |
| 57 | Father motion | State v. Thomas | 46 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 10 |
| 58 | reasonable likelihood error | Steffensen v. Smith's Management Corp. | 46 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 11 |
| 59 | intermediate standard | Utah Dept. of Admin. Serv. v. Pub. Serv. Com'n | 45 | 2 | 1930–2025 | 4 |
| 60 | shelter hearing | State in Interest of MV | 45 | 2 | 1958–2026 | 10 |
| 61 | federal constitutional claim | State v. Worwood | 44 | 2 | 1988–2025 | 4 |
| 62 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 44 | 2 | 1981–2025 | 3 |
| 63 | standing test | Jenkins v. Swan | 43 | 2 | 1987–2024 | 6 |
| 64 | adjudication hearing | Gilbert v. Ince | 42 | 2 | 1983–2025 | 6 |
| 65 | parental presumption | Hutchison v. Hutchison | 42 | 2 | 1982–2024 | 4 |
| 66 | unanimity instruction | State v. Alires | 42 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 32 |
| 67 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 39 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 3 |
| 68 | harmful error | State v. Waterfield | 39 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 7 |
| 69 | mens rea requirement | State v. Barela | 39 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 8 |
| 70 | Allen instruction | Allen v. Industrial Commission | 38 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 6 |
| 71 | second part test | State v. Ray | 38 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 13 |
| 72 | Brady violation | United States v. Bagley | 37 | 2 | 1985–2025 | 7 |
| 73 | Husband claim | State v. Maurer | 37 | 2 | 1987–2021 | 1 |
| 74 | inherent improbability doctrine | State v. Robbins | 37 | 2 | 2009–2026 | 16 |
| 75 | public interest exception | Ellis v. Swensen | 37 | 2 | 1981–2024 | 5 |
| 76 | application of the general rule | Warren v. Provo City Corp. | 36 | 2 | 1924–2024 | 2 |
| 77 | district court committed plain error | State v. Low | 36 | 2 | 2001–2025 | 7 |
| 78 | low bar | State v. Thornton | 36 | 2 | 2008–2026 | 7 |
| 79 | Sixth Amendment violation | Delaware v. Van Arsdall | 36 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 9 |
| 80 | sovereign immunity | Madsen v. Borthick | 36 | 2 | 1950–2019 | 0 |
| 81 | first prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 35 | 2 | 1983–2025 | 6 |
| 82 | open courts clause | Berry by and Through Berry v. Beech Aircraft | 35 | 2 | 1989–2024 | 7 |
| 83 | marital standard | Rule v. Rule | 34 | 2 | 1995–2025 | 15 |
| 84 | prejudicial error | Watson v. Watson | 34 | 2 | 1938–2026 | 2 |
| 85 | proposed jury instruction | State v. Hamilton | 34 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 3 |
| 86 | purposes analysis | Strickland v. Washington | 34 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 11 |
| 87 | good faith exception | United States v. Leon | 33 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 2 |
| 88 | insufficiency of the evidence claim | State v. Nielsen | 33 | 2 | 1998–2025 | 7 |
| 89 | judicially created doctrine | SME Industries, Inc. v. Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates, Inc. | 33 | 2 | 1981–2023 | 7 |
| 90 | opportunity to correct error | 438 Main Street v. Easy Heat, Inc. | 33 | 2 | 2004–2019 | 0 |
| 91 | boundary by acquiescence doctrine | Brown v. Peterson Development Co. | 32 | 2 | 1951–2026 | 4 |
| 92 | ease bar | George v. Oren Ltd. & Associates | 32 | 2 | 1901–2016 | 0 |
| 93 | laches doctrine | Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Lindberg | 32 | 2 | 1890–2024 | 4 |
| 94 | list factors | State v. Layman | 32 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 9 |
| 95 | self-defense instruction | State v. Garcia | 32 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 9 |
| 96 | knowing and intelligent waiver | Argersinger v. Hamlin | 31 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 7 |
| 97 | ruling rule | White v. State | 31 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 6 |
| 98 | unjust enrichment claim | American Towers Owners Ass'n v. CCI Mechanical, Inc. | 31 | 2 | 1999–2025 | 7 |
| 99 | bindover standard | State v. Virgin | 30 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 8 |
| 100 | causation standard | Allen v. Industrial Commission | 30 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 7 |
| 101 | equitable discovery rule | Russell Packard Development, Inc. v. Carson | 30 | 2 | 2005–2024 | 2 |
| 102 | existence of plain error | State v. Dunn | 30 | 2 | 1993–2020 | 0 |
| 103 | interests analysis | In Re Adoption of RBFS | 30 | 2 | 1919–2024 | 2 |
| 104 | performance inquiry | State v. Ray | 30 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 22 |
| 105 | res ipsa loquitur doctrine | King v. Searle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 30 | 2 | 1930–2024 | 3 |
| 106 | respondeat superior doctrine | Clover v. Snowbird Ski Resort | 30 | 2 | 1926–2026 | 7 |
| 107 | chances doctrine | State v. Verde | 29 | 2 | 2012–2026 | 3 |
| 108 | fact-intensive inquiry | Carbon County v. Workforce Appeals Board | 29 | 2 | 1991–2025 | 4 |
| 109 | mandate rule | IHC Health Services, Inc. v. D & K MANAGEMENT, INC. | 29 | 2 | 1995–2025 | 6 |
| 110 | reasonable suspicion standard | Terry v. Ohio | 29 | 2 | 1983–2020 | 0 |
| 111 | application of a legal standard | State v. Pena | 28 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 10 |
| 112 | discretionary function exception | Keegan v. State | 28 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 1 |
| 113 | legal causation requirement | Allen v. Industrial Commission | 28 | 2 | 1986–2022 | 3 |
| 114 | manifest injustice exception | State v. Hamilton | 28 | 2 | 1991–2023 | 1 |
| 115 | parole hearing | Peterson v. Utah Board of Pardons | 28 | 2 | 1983–2025 | 5 |
| 116 | qualified privilege | Brehany v. Nordstrom, Inc. | 28 | 2 | 1976–2025 | 2 |
| 117 | blanket immunity | Ledfors v. Emery County School District | 27 | 2 | 1980–2025 | 6 |
| 118 | economic loss rule | SME Industries, Inc. v. Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates, Inc. | 27 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 10 |
| 119 | historical analysis | Den Ex Dem. Murray v. Hoboken Land & Improvement Co. | 27 | 2 | 1991–2025 | 7 |
| 120 | legal malpractice claim | Snow, Nuffer, Engstrom & Drake v. Tanasse | 27 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 7 |
| 121 | motion to dismiss rule | MacKey v. Cannon | 27 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 7 |
| 122 | rational basis test | Judd v. Drezga | 27 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 4 |
| 123 | separation of powers doctrine | In re Handley's Estate | 27 | 2 | 1978–2021 | 1 |
| 124 | absurdity doctrine | Bagley v. Bagley | 26 | 2 | 2011–2026 | 12 |
| 125 | automobile exception | Carroll v. United States | 26 | 2 | 1980–2022 | 3 |
| 126 | breach standard | Nixdorf v. Hicken | 26 | 2 | 1957–2025 | 6 |
| 127 | direct claim | Interstate Land Corp. v. Patterson | 26 | 2 | 1942–2024 | 6 |
| 128 | Jones factors | Jones v. Jones | 26 | 2 | 1987–2025 | 8 |
| 129 | prima facie claim | State v. Tillman | 26 | 2 | 1897–2026 | 6 |
| 130 | public policy exception | Peterson v. Browning | 26 | 2 | 1989–2019 | 0 |
| 131 | second prong test | Strickland v. Washington | 26 | 2 | 1982–2025 | 3 |
| 132 | Wife claim | Brigham Ex Rel. Brigham v. Moon Lake Electric Ass'n | 26 | 2 | 1984–2017 | 0 |
| 133 | American rule | Hughes v. Cafferty | 25 | 2 | 1881–2025 | 4 |
| 134 | categorical rule | State v. Gardner | 25 | 2 | 1999–2026 | 11 |
| 135 | contention error | State v. Schreuder | 25 | 2 | 1915–2018 | 0 |
| 136 | de novo standard | Cooper Industries, Inc. v. Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. | 25 | 2 | 1981–2022 | 3 |
| 137 | gross deviation standard | State v. Standiford | 25 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 6 |
| 138 | meaningful analysis | State v. Valencia | 25 | 2 | 2000–2025 | 4 |
| 139 | Shondel doctrine | State v. Shondel | 25 | 2 | 1997–2022 | 1 |
| 140 | uniform operation of laws clause | Blue Cross and Blue Shield v. State | 25 | 2 | 1993–2024 | 3 |
| 141 | abandonment analysis | State in Interest of JRT v. Timperly | 24 | 2 | 1987–2020 | 0 |
| 142 | accurate instruction | State v. Bird | 24 | 2 | 1969–2024 | 2 |
| 143 | best-interest inquiry | In re J.M... | 24 | 1 | 2015–2026 | 15 |
| 144 | exhaustion requirement | Patterson v. American Fork City | 24 | 2 | 1992–2024 | 3 |
| 145 | first step analysis | State v. MacE | 24 | 2 | 1904–2026 | 9 |
| 146 | harmfulness test | State v. Dunn | 24 | 2 | 1989–2021 | 1 |
| 147 | necessary requirement | State v. Berriel | 24 | 2 | 1938–2026 | 7 |
| 148 | reach of a given rule | State v. Pena | 24 | 2 | 1996–2024 | 1 |
| 149 | retention factors | Ledfors v. Emery County School District | 24 | 2 | 1989–2025 | 2 |
| 150 | structural error | State v. Cruz | 24 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 4 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.