Res Judicata is a Latin legal principle where Res means subject matter and Judicata means decided. Together, it means “a matter already decided.” This doctrine is clearly mentioned under Section 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC).
The main rule is simple: once a competent court has finally decided a case, the same parties cannot file another case on the same issue again. This prevents repeated litigation and ensures that disputes do not continue forever.
The objective of Res Judicata is based on three famous maxims:
- No person should be sued twice for the same cause.
- It is in the public interest that litigation must come to an end.
- A final judicial decision must be accepted as correct.
For Res Judicata to apply, certain conditions must be satisfied—such as same parties, same issue, same title, and a final decision by a court having proper jurisdiction.
It also includes constructive res judicata, meaning even issues that could have been raised earlier but were not, cannot be raised later.
Thus, Res Judicata protects parties from harassment, reduces court burden, and ensures finality and certainty in justice.