Define: Res Adjudicata

Res judicata, a Latin term meaning “a matter already judged,” refers to the legal principle that once a court has made a final decision on a particular issue between parties, that same issue cannot be re-litigated in subsequent lawsuits between the same parties. Essentially, res judicata prevents parties from endlessly re-litigating the same claims or issues, promoting finality and judicial efficiency. For res judicata to apply, the following conditions must typically be met: there must be a final judgment rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction, the same parties or their privies must be involved, and the issue must have been actually litigated and determined in the prior case. Once res judicata is invoked, the issue is considered legally settled and cannot be revisited in future legal proceedings.

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This glossary post was last updated: 29th March, 2024.