The doctrines Washington 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 | due process clause | In Re WINSHIP | 1,458 | 3 | 1914–2026 | 192 |
| 2 | affirmative defense | State v. Lively | 876 | 2 | 1892–2026 | 121 |
| 3 | abuse of discretion standard | State v. Brett | 864 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 142 |
| 4 | warrant requirement | State v. Ladson | 847 | 3 | 1943–2026 | 68 |
| 5 | ineffective assistance of counsel claim | Strickland v. Washington | 689 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 151 |
| 6 | double jeopardy clause | State v. Calle | 625 | 2 | 1945–2026 | 91 |
| 7 | harmless error | Chapman v. California | 558 | 3 | 1931–2026 | 100 |
| 8 | equal protection clause | State v. Shawn P. | 549 | 2 | 1919–2025 | 35 |
| 9 | Miranda warning | Miranda v. Arizona | 547 | 2 | 1967–2026 | 62 |
| 10 | confrontation clause | Crawford v. Washington | 518 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 61 |
| 11 | cumulative error | State v. Greiff | 493 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 180 |
| 12 | manifest error | State v. Kirkman | 475 | 2 | 1920–2026 | 114 |
| 13 | invited error | State v. Henderson | 433 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 109 |
| 14 | exclusionary rule | State v. Gaines | 414 | 2 | 1952–2026 | 32 |
| 15 | hearsay rule | Ohio v. Roberts | 407 | 2 | 1928–2026 | 51 |
| 16 | reasonable doubt error | State v. Brown | 404 | 2 | 1930–2026 | 51 |
| 17 | fundamental principle | Mathews v. Eldridge | 388 | 2 | 1890–2026 | 37 |
| 18 | Terry stop | Terry v. Ohio | 373 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 34 |
| 19 | ineffective assistance claim | Strickland v. Washington | 345 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 58 |
| 20 | Gunwall analysis | State v. Gunwall | 329 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 28 |
| 21 | appearance of fairness doctrine | State v. Post | 327 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 63 |
| 22 | vagueness challenge | City of Spokane v. Douglass | 312 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 47 |
| 23 | law of the case doctrine | State v. Hickman | 301 | 2 | 1946–2026 | 71 |
| 24 | CPA claim | Hangman Ridge Training Stables, Inc. v. Safeco Title Insurance | 298 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 42 |
| 25 | sufficiency of the evidence challenge | State v. Salinas | 279 | 2 | 1992–2026 | 86 |
| 26 | manifest constitutional error | State v. Kirkman | 276 | 2 | 1989–2026 | 74 |
| 27 | merger doctrine | State v. Freeman | 272 | 2 | 1927–2026 | 43 |
| 28 | de novo standard | Folsom v. Burger King | 256 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 45 |
| 29 | individualized inquiry | State v. Blazina | 255 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 61 |
| 30 | to-convict instruction | State v. Hickman | 253 | 2 | 1991–2026 | 57 |
| 31 | unanimity instruction | State v. Petrich | 244 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 47 |
| 32 | per se rule | Hangman Ridge Training Stables, Inc. v. Safeco Title Insurance | 240 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 24 |
| 33 | lesser included offense instruction | State v. Workman | 237 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 27 |
| 34 | Washington rule | State v. Brockob | 235 | 2 | 1947–2026 | 24 |
| 35 | exceptional sentence below standard | State v. Garcia-Martinez | 231 | 2 | 1993–2026 | 78 |
| 36 | rational basis test | State v. Coria | 223 | 2 | 1973–2025 | 16 |
| 37 | Frye test | Frye v. United States | 219 | 2 | 1978–2026 | 26 |
| 38 | constitutional harmless error | State v. Emery | 214 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 56 |
| 39 | Fifth Amendment privilege | Miranda v. Arizona | 207 | 2 | 1965–2026 | 17 |
| 40 | separation of powers doctrine | Carrick v. Locke | 207 | 2 | 1942–2026 | 13 |
| 41 | public duty doctrine | Taylor v. Stevens County | 204 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 21 |
| 42 | Strickland test | Strickland v. Washington | 200 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 45 |
| 43 | prima facie defense | White v. Holm | 193 | 2 | 1893–2026 | 50 |
| 44 | self-defense instruction | State v. Janes | 193 | 2 | 1932–2026 | 30 |
| 45 | speedy trial rule | Barker v. Wingo | 190 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 17 |
| 46 | right to present defense | State v. Jones | 188 | 2 | 1927–2026 | 63 |
| 47 | nonconstitutional error | In Re the Personal Restraint of Cook | 186 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 53 |
| 48 | show cause hearing | Carlstrom v. Hanline | 184 | 2 | 1950–2026 | 41 |
| 49 | prosecutorial misconduct claim | State v. Emery | 175 | 2 | 1985–2026 | 70 |
| 50 | error of law standard | City of Pasco v. Public Employment Relations Commission | 174 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 9 |
| 51 | Bone-Club analysis | State v. Bone-Club | 171 | 2 | 2005–2026 | 10 |
| 52 | attorney-client privilege | Hangartner v. City of Seattle | 167 | 2 | 1964–2025 | 13 |
| 53 | Fourth Amendment analysis | State v. Z.U.E. | 166 | 3 | 1967–2025 | 4 |
| 54 | sentence within standard | State v. Ammons | 161 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 40 |
| 55 | probable cause hearing | In re the Detention of Petersen | 159 | 2 | 1973–2026 | 15 |
| 56 | qualified immunity | Bender v. City of Seattle | 157 | 2 | 1918–2025 | 13 |
| 57 | sentence outside standard | State v. Nordby | 156 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 16 |
| 58 | Sixth Amendment violation | State v. Iniguez | 155 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 28 |
| 59 | reference hearing | Matter of Personal Restraint of Rice | 153 | 2 | 1945–2026 | 28 |
| 60 | state constitutional analysis | State v. Gunwall | 153 | 3 | 1980–2026 | 7 |
| 61 | structural error | State v. Wise | 152 | 2 | 2002–2025 | 9 |
| 62 | Brady violation | Strickler v. Greene | 140 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 29 |
| 63 | Blockburger test | Blockburger v. United States | 133 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 22 |
| 64 | American rule | Cosmopolitan Engineering Group, Inc. v. Ondeo Degremont, Inc. | 129 | 3 | 1891–2026 | 15 |
| 65 | First Amendment challenge | Dewey v. Tacoma School District No. 10 | 129 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 14 |
| 66 | prejudicial error | State v. Papadopoulos | 129 | 2 | 1908–2026 | 15 |
| 67 | corpus delicti rule | State v. Aten | 128 | 2 | 1977–2026 | 13 |
| 68 | preponderance of the evidence standard | In Re Welfare of Sego | 128 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 27 |
| 69 | commerce clause | Quill Corp. v. North Dakota Ex Rel. Heitkamp | 125 | 2 | 1906–2025 | 4 |
| 70 | plain language analysis | Burton v. Lehman | 125 | 2 | 1996–2026 | 23 |
| 71 | Alford plea | North Carolina v. Alford | 123 | 2 | 1987–2026 | 16 |
| 72 | collateral estoppel doctrine | Ashe v. Swenson | 121 | 2 | 1972–2024 | 2 |
| 73 | emergency exception | State v. Gocken | 120 | 2 | 1908–2025 | 4 |
| 74 | Workman test | State v. Workman | 120 | 2 | 1979–2026 | 17 |
| 75 | plain view doctrine | Coolidge v. New Hampshire | 118 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 6 |
| 76 | diminished capacity defense | State v. Atsbeha | 114 | 2 | 1981–2026 | 13 |
| 77 | privileges and immunities clause | State v. Gunwall | 114 | 2 | 1940–2026 | 14 |
| 78 | ex post facto clause | In the Matter of Personal Restraint of Powell | 112 | 2 | 1989–2024 | 7 |
| 79 | party claiming error | Fisher Properties, Inc. v. Arden-Mayfair, Inc. | 112 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 20 |
| 80 | plain meaning analysis | Department of Ecology v. Campbell & Gwinn, L.L.C. | 112 | 2 | 1990–2025 | 5 |
| 81 | compliance doctrine | Medina v. Public Utility District No. 1 | 110 | 2 | 1931–2026 | 9 |
| 82 | experience and logic test | State v. Sublett | 109 | 2 | 2012–2025 | 8 |
| 83 | good faith exception | State v. White | 108 | 2 | 1960–2024 | 5 |
| 84 | parol evidence rule | Buyken v. Ertner | 108 | 2 | 1916–2025 | 6 |
| 85 | lesser included instruction | State v. Workman | 107 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 17 |
| 86 | Petrich instruction | State v. Petrich | 107 | 2 | 1988–2026 | 28 |
| 87 | knowledge instruction | State v. Goble | 106 | 2 | 1917–2025 | 11 |
| 88 | result absent error | State v. Easter | 106 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 22 |
| 89 | nonconstitutional harmless error | State v. Smith | 102 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 48 |
| 90 | substantive due process claim | Presbytery of Seattle v. King County | 102 | 2 | 1987–2024 | 6 |
| 91 | essential elements rule | State v. Kjorsvik | 101 | 2 | 1961–2026 | 12 |
| 92 | Knapstad motion | State v. Knapstad | 101 | 2 | 1992–2024 | 4 |
| 93 | scrutiny test | Smith v. Stillwell-Smith | 101 | 2 | 1975–2026 | 7 |
| 94 | search incident to arrest exception | Arizona v. Gant | 101 | 3 | 1983–2025 | 2 |
| 95 | first prong test | State v. Kjorsvik | 100 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 9 |
| 96 | res judicata doctrine | Hilltop Terrace Homeowner's Ass'n v. Island County | 100 | 2 | 1931–2026 | 11 |
| 97 | departure standard | State v. Law | 99 | 2 | 1896–2026 | 12 |
| 98 | one-year time bar | In re the Personal Restraint of Coats | 98 | 2 | 1998–2025 | 28 |
| 99 | construction rule | State v. Kjorsvik | 96 | 2 | 1899–2026 | 9 |
| 100 | arbitrary and capricious standard | ITT Rayonier, Inc. v. Dalman | 95 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 12 |
| 101 | pattern instruction | State v. Pirtle | 95 | 3 | 1968–2026 | 13 |
| 102 | preponderance standard | Strickland v. Washington | 95 | 2 | 1971–2026 | 17 |
| 103 | totality of the circumstances test | Illinois v. Gates | 93 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 11 |
| 104 | case falls within rule | Cooper v. Department of Labor & Industries | 92 | 2 | 1893–2018 | 0 |
| 105 | categorical bar | State v. Gresham | 92 | 2 | 1980–2026 | 31 |
| 106 | Mathews test | Mathews v. Eldridge | 92 | 2 | 1986–2026 | 13 |
| 107 | agency rule | Association of Washington Business v. Department of Revenue | 91 | 2 | 1970–2026 | 4 |
| 108 | collateral challenge | In re the Personal Restraint of Coats | 90 | 2 | 1927–2026 | 29 |
| 109 | sentence below standard | State v. Garcia-Martinez | 90 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 28 |
| 110 | sovereign immunity | Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez | 90 | 2 | 1914–2026 | 7 |
| 111 | criminal conduct analysis | State v. Porter | 88 | 2 | 1990–2026 | 21 |
| 112 | excited utterance exception | State v. Chapin | 88 | 2 | 1963–2026 | 12 |
| 113 | severability clause | State v. Anderson | 88 | 2 | 1951–2026 | 6 |
| 114 | Aguilar-Spinelli test | State v. Jackson | 87 | 2 | 1973–2023 | 2 |
| 115 | Blakely error | Washington v. Recuenco | 87 | 2 | 2002–2024 | 3 |
| 116 | burden of proving error | State v. Guloy | 86 | 2 | 1942–2025 | 11 |
| 117 | public trial violation | State v. Sublett | 84 | 2 | 2008–2025 | 2 |
| 118 | comparability analysis | State v. Thiefault | 83 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 15 |
| 119 | guiding principle | Dennis v. Department of Labor & Industries | 83 | 3 | 1937–2025 | 6 |
| 120 | overbreadth doctrine | Broadrick v. Oklahoma | 83 | 2 | 1971–2021 | 4 |
| 121 | fixed standard | Prier v. Refrigeration Engineering Co. | 82 | 2 | 1921–2026 | 8 |
| 122 | public policy exception | Gardner v. Loomis Armored, Inc. | 82 | 2 | 1980–2024 | 5 |
| 123 | legal right privilege | Gardner v. Loomis Armored, Inc. | 81 | 2 | 1913–2026 | 11 |
| 124 | party requesting instruction | State v. Fernandez-Medina | 81 | 2 | 2000–2025 | 13 |
| 125 | time of the alleged error | Kimmelman v. Morrison | 81 | 2 | 1994–2026 | 48 |
| 126 | purposes analysis | Cunningham v. Reliable Concrete Pumping, Inc. | 80 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 6 |
| 127 | fact-specific inquiry | In Re the Welfare of Aschauer | 79 | 3 | 1992–2026 | 22 |
| 128 | implied waiver | Buell v. City of Bremerton | 79 | 2 | 1929–2025 | 7 |
| 129 | missing witness doctrine | State v. Blair | 79 | 2 | 1968–2026 | 13 |
| 130 | vested rights doctrine | Noble Manor Co. v. Pierce County | 79 | 2 | 1978–2025 | 8 |
| 131 | voluntary intoxication instruction | State v. Gabryschak | 79 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 11 |
| 132 | accomplice liability instruction | State v. Cronin | 78 | 2 | 1982–2026 | 2 |
| 133 | bad faith claim | Smith v. Safeco Insurance | 78 | 2 | 1991–2024 | 8 |
| 134 | insanity defense | State v. White | 78 | 2 | 1948–2026 | 8 |
| 135 | standing test | To-Ro Trade Shows v. Collins | 78 | 2 | 1978–2025 | 17 |
| 136 | party that requested instruction | State v. Fernandez-Medina | 76 | 2 | 2000–2026 | 20 |
| 137 | proposed jury instruction | State v. Picard | 76 | 2 | 1983–2026 | 4 |
| 138 | challenged jury instruction | State v. Pirtle | 74 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 10 |
| 139 | lack defense | State v. Cheatam | 74 | 2 | 1974–2025 | 9 |
| 140 | nexus requirement | State v. Schelin | 74 | 2 | 1986–2025 | 7 |
| 141 | rescue doctrine | Brown v. MacPherson's, Inc. | 74 | 2 | 1948–2026 | 9 |
| 142 | Burnet factors | Burnet v. Spokane Ambulance | 73 | 2 | 2006–2026 | 22 |
| 143 | particularity requirement | State v. Perrone | 73 | 3 | 1980–2025 | 11 |
| 144 | public trial right violation | State v. Easterling | 73 | 2 | 2006–2025 | 2 |
| 145 | res ipsa loquitur doctrine | Pacheco v. Ames | 73 | 2 | 1909–2023 | 2 |
| 146 | sentence above standard | Blakely v. Washington | 73 | 2 | 1994–2025 | 15 |
| 147 | takings clause | Guimont v. Clarke | 73 | 2 | 1984–2026 | 6 |
| 148 | last antecedent rule | All Seasons Living Centers, Inc. v. State | 72 | 2 | 1941–2026 | 8 |
| 149 | opportunity to correct any error | Smith v. Shannon | 72 | 2 | 1976–2026 | 16 |
| 150 | second prong test | State v. McCarty | 72 | 2 | 1982–2025 | 10 |
Top 150 by distinct citing opinions.