What is the doctrine of res judicata in civil litigation?

The doctrine of res judicata in civil litigation is a legal principle that states that any issue that has already been decided by a court or judge must be accepted as final. This means that if a certain issue has already been litigated in court, or a judge has made a legal ruling on an issue, that ruling will be binding and cannot be appealed. This doctrine is related to the concept of stare decisis, which is the legal principle that courts must follow rulings made by higher courts. In North Carolina, the doctrine of res judicata is applied to prevent any form of “double jeopardy” in civil litigation. This means that if a certain issue has already been litigated and adjudicated in court, then it cannot be brought up for a second case. This means that once a plaintiff or defendant has won a case and the final judgment has been made, that judgment cannot be altered or appealed. This serves to ensure the finality of the legal system and protect the rights of those involved in civil litigation. In addition, res judicata serves to limit the amount of time that issues can be litigated in court. Without this doctrine, parties could endlessly appeal rulings and this could lead to unnecessary delays in the legal process. This doctrine also prevents forum shopping, which is when certain parties try to seek out different courts in order to get a more favorable ruling. Overall, the doctrine of res judicata in civil litigation ensures that judgments made by a court or judge are final and cannot be appealed, as well as prevents unnecessary delays and litigations.

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What is the doctrine of res judicata in civil litigation?

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