Res Judicata
Literal meaning: “A matter judged.”
What does the Latin term "Res Judicata" mean in law?
Res judicata, also known as claim preclusion, prevents parties from relitigating a claim that has been finally adjudicated on the merits. For res judicata to apply, three elements must be satisfied: (1) a final judgment on the merits in the prior action, (2) identity of the parties or their privies, and (3) identity of the cause of action. The doctrine serves the dual purposes of protecting litigants from the burden of relitigating identical claims and promoting judicial economy by preventing duplicative suits. It is related to, but distinct from, collateral estoppel (issue preclusion), which bars relitigation of specific issues rather than entire claims.
Source: Procedure · Legal Latin
Legal Definition
Res judicata, also known as claim preclusion, prevents parties from relitigating a claim that has been finally adjudicated on the merits. For res judicata to apply, three elements must be satisfied: (1) a final judgment on the merits in the prior action, (2) identity of the parties or their privies, and (3) identity of the cause of action. The doctrine serves the dual purposes of protecting litigants from the burden of relitigating identical claims and promoting judicial economy by preventing duplicative suits. It is related to, but distinct from, collateral estoppel (issue preclusion), which bars relitigation of specific issues rather than entire claims.
How It's Used
Res judicata is raised as an affirmative defense when a party attempts to bring a lawsuit involving the same claim that was already decided. It appears frequently in civil procedure courses and in motions to dismiss or for summary judgment. Practitioners must distinguish it from collateral estoppel, which precludes individual issues rather than whole causes of action.
Example Sentences
The defendant moved to dismiss on res judicata grounds, arguing that the plaintiff had already litigated and lost the same claim in a prior action.
Because the prior judgment was a final decision on the merits, the doctrine of res judicata barred the second suit.
Res judicata did not apply because the two actions involved different causes of action, even though they arose from the same transaction.