Res Judicata Defined

    Res judicata is Latin for "the matter litigated". It is a judge created (common law) bar to relitigating the same claim again.

Res judicata prevents relitigation of claims already decided. Meder v. CCME Corp., 7 Wn. App. 801, 803, 502 P.2d 1252 (1972), review denied, 81 Wn.2d 1011 (1973). While res judicata bars relitigation of claims necessarily a part of a previous matter in controversy, it poses no bar to claims not in fact adjudicated previously. Seattle-First Nat’l Bank v. Kawachi, 91 Wn.2d 223, 226, 588 P.2d 725 (1978).

Haberman v WPPSS, 109 Wn.2d 107, 122, 744 P.2d 1032 (1987)