What is res judicata and collateral estoppel?

Res judicata and collateral estoppel are related legal doctrines in Washington state civil procedure. Res judicata, also known as claim preclusion, bars the relitigation of a claim that has already been fully litigated in a prior court proceeding. This means that if a claim or a defense has been raised in a prior court case, and a final judgment has been rendered by the court, then the claim or defense cannot be re-litigated. Collateral estoppel, also known as issue preclusion, prevents parties in the same or a subsequent case from re-litigating identical issues of fact or law previously decided in another action. This means that if an issue of fact or law has been determined in a prior court case, then it does not need to be addressed again in a subsequent proceeding. In Washington state, res judicata and collateral estoppel apply to all civil cases, regardless of the court in which the case is heard. The doctrines help to ensure that court resources and time are used efficiently by preventing the re-litigation of the same issues over and over again.

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What is res judicata and collateral estoppel?

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