The affirmative defense in litigation barring a party from relitigating an issue determined against the party in an earlier action, even where the second action differs significantly from the first one.

Prior judgment from a lawsuit between parties on a different cause of action that bars re-litigation of those matters in a subsequent lawsuit.

also sometimes known as issue preclusion, is a common law estoppel doctrine that prevents a person from relitigating an issue. Simply stated, when an issue of fact (as opposed to an issue of law) is decided by a fair and impartial arbiter (usually a jury), then the two parties may not relitigate that in the future. It may be offensive collateral estoppel when it is used by a plaintiff to prevent relitigation by a defendant who lost against another plaintiff on the same issue.

A legal doctrine which bars further litigation of issues in a case previously decided by other courts.

A legal doctrine which provides that, in some cases, the criminal conviction of perpetrators will be considered proof of those perpetrator's legal liability in civil actions brought by the perpetrator's victims.

See estoppel.

Collateral estoppel, also sometimes known as issue preclusion, is a common law estoppel doctrine that prevents a person from relitigating an issue. Simply put, "once a court has decided an issue of fact or law necessary to its judgment, that decision ... preclude[s] relitigation of the issue in a suit on a different cause of action involving a party to the first case." San Remo Hotel v.