What is the doctrine of res judicata?

The doctrine of res judicata is a legal principle that states once a matter has been decided by a court, then it is final and cannot be brought up again. This means that the same person or parties cannot raise the same issue in a new lawsuit. Res judicata is a part of civil procedure law in Pennsylvania. There are three main aspects to the doctrine of res judicata. First, the claim being litigated must be the same in both lawsuits. Second, the decision must be a final judgment from a court. Third, the parties must be the same in both actions. If a party attempts to bring a claim or issue that has already been decided by a court, then the doctrine of res judicata will likely be used by the opposing party to dismiss the case. The opposing party can simply point to the fact that the same issue was already decided by the court and the court will probably not consider the matter once again. It is important to be aware of the doctrine of res judicata when filing a lawsuit in Pennsylvania. If the same claim or issue has already been decided by a court, then it cannot be brought up again and the court is unlikely to consider the case. It is wise to research the relevant case law prior to filing a case to ensure that the matter is not already a res judicata.

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What is the doctrine of res judicata?

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