What is the doctrine of collateral estoppel in civil litigation?

Collateral estoppel is a legal doctrine used in civil litigation that prevents a party from re-litigating an issue that has already been decided by a court in a previous lawsuit. Essentially, it is a legal concept that bars a party from rearguing a fact or claim once it has already been decided in a prior proceeding. This doctrine is used to promote judicial economies by avoiding the need for litigants to re-litigate issues that have already been determined. In New Mexico, the doctrine of collateral estoppel is applied when a party attempts to relitigate an issue that has already been decided by a court in a prior action between the same parties. It applies when the following conditions are met: (1) the issue must be identical to the one decided in the prior action; (2) the issue must have been actually litigated in the prior action; (3) the determination must have been essential to the final judgment; and (4) the party against whom the doctrine is invoked must have had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue in the prior action. The purpose of collateral estoppel in civil litigation in New Mexico is to protect a party from being unfairly re-tried on the same issue that has already been litigated and decided by a court. This doctrine allows for the fair enforcement of court decisions and judicial economies by avoiding the need for parties to relitigate the same issue.

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What is the doctrine of collateral estoppel in civil litigation?

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