The doctrine of res judicata (also known as claim preclusion) is a legal principle that prohibits a party from relitigating a claim or issue that has already been finally adjudicated in a previous lawsuit. In other words, once a court has made a final decision on a particular issue or claim, that decision is binding and the parties cannot bring the same issue or claim before the court again.
The doctrine of res judicata is based on the principle that there must be finality in legal disputes, and that parties should not be allowed to continue to litigate the same issues repeatedly. The doctrine applies not only to the parties involved in the original lawsuit, but also to any third parties who may have an interest in the outcome of the case.
In order for res judicata to apply, the following elements must be satisfied:
- The same parties or their privies must be involved in both lawsuits.
- The same cause of action must be involved in both lawsuits.
- A final judgment must have been reached in the first lawsuit.
If these elements are met, the doctrine of res judicata will prevent the parties from relitigating the same claim or issue in a subsequent lawsuit.
