Res Judicata and Collateral Estoppel

Res Judicata, or claim preclusion, prevents a party from re-litigating the same issue or claim once it has been decided by a competent court. Essentially, it means "the matter has been judged." Collateral Estoppel, or issue preclusion, stops a party from re-fighting specific factual issues that were already settled in a previous case, even if the current case involves different claims. Both concepts promote fairness and judicial efficiency by ensuring that disputes are resolved definitively and not endlessly revisited.