What is the doctrine of res judicata?

The doctrine of res judicata is a legal principle that when a judgement is made in a final court ruling, it cannot be appealed, reversed, or re-litigated in any other legal proceedings. The Latin phrase “res judicata” literally means “the thing has been adjudicated.” In the context of Michigan civil procedure, the doctrine of res judicata applies to any order or judgement made by a court that was entered on the record and is final. This means that issues that were already decided in a prior legal proceeding cannot be relitigated in any other legal proceedings. For example, if an individual takes a dispute to court and the court renders judgement in favor of the individual, the other party cannot take the same issue to court again. This is true even if new evidence or arguments become available after the judgement has been made. The fact that the judgement was already entered on the record makes it conclusive and irreversible. In Michigan, the doctrine of res judicata applies to all civil cases and may be raised by a party or the court at any time. The doctrine of res judicata helps prevent parties from relitigating issues and allows courts to focus on new matters. It also helps to conserve judicial resources.

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What is the doctrine of res judicata?

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