What is the doctrine of res judicata in criminal appeals?

In the state of Colorado, the doctrine of res judicata applies to criminal appeals. Res judicata is Latin for "a matter judged," and it is a legal principle that prevents an issue from being re-litigated if it has already been decided. This principle prevents parties from bringing the same claim twice or from using a prior decision as the basis for a new claim. In the context of criminal appeals, res judicata prevents a defendant from raising an issue that was previously raised in an appeal or motion. This means that if a defendant appealed their conviction and the appeal was denied, they may not raise the same issues again in a new appeal. The court will not consider the issues that were already raised and rejected in the first appeal. Res judicata also applies to issues of double jeopardy. This means that a defendant cannot be tried for the same offense twice, even if new evidence is presented. This principle is meant to ensure that defendants are not subjected to multiple prosecutions for the same crime, as that would be unfair. In summary, the doctrine of res judicata in criminal appeals prevents issues from being re-litigated or raised again after they have been decided. This serves to ensure defendants are only tried once for the same offense and that judges are not required to re-litigate the same issues.

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What is the doctrine of res judicata in criminal appeals?

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