res judicata

A Levels Academy Islamabad

Transcript

00:00Sure, sometimes court cases can drag on forever.

00:03Sometimes even evolution seems to be faster.

00:07But believe it or not, a case can have an actual conclusion.

00:11That's when a court makes a final ruling

00:13that cannot be appealed or pursued

00:15any further through litigation.

00:17This is called res judicata.

00:20And no, it's not a type of kung fu.

00:23It's Latin, and it means a matter already judged.

00:27A party can invoke res judicata

00:29to prevent the same opposing party

00:31from bringing up the same claim against them.

00:34That was made in a case that was already decided.

00:38A court of law is no place for Groundhog Day.

00:42For example, say someone sues a small business for negligence

00:45because he slipped and fell in the store, injuring himself.

00:49A verdict is then reached that the business was not

00:51negligent, and if there are no grounds for an appeal,

00:54the case is over.

00:56The person injured cannot then try

00:58to sue the same business again for the same reason.

01:01Now, res judicata only applies to the exact two parties

01:05in the previous case.

01:06The outcome has no effect on someone who wasn't a party.

01:10So if a new party brings a case against the same defendant,

01:13res judicata cannot be used, even

01:16if the case arises out of the same or similar situation.

01:20This is because everyone should have a chance

01:22to prove their own case.

01:24You are not bound by the outcome of someone else's case,

01:27because, well, maybe you can put on a better case.

01:31To put on the best case possible,

01:33be sure to be prepared and use all the help you can get,

01:37including LegalYou.

01:39LegalYou, you can do this.