Anglo-French

Collateral Estoppel

kuh-LAT-er-uhl eh-STOP-uhl
A legal doctrine that prevents a party from relitigating an issue that has already been decided in a previous lawsuit. It applies when the issue in the current case is identical to the one decided in the prior case, the issue was actually litigated and decided in the prior case, and the party against whom estoppel is asserted had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue in the prior case.
The defendant argued that collateral estoppel precluded the plaintiff from relitigating the issue of liability, as it had already been decided in a previous case between the same parties.
Parklane Hosiery Co. v. Shore (1979)
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Frequently Asked Questions

The issue must be identical to the one decided in the prior case, it must have been actually litigated and decided, and the party against whom estoppel is asserted must have had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue.

Res judicata prevents relitigation of the entire claim, while collateral estoppel only prevents relitigation of a specific issue.

The purpose is to promote judicial efficiency, prevent inconsistent judgments, and protect parties from the burden of relitigating the same issue multiple times.

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