What does res judicata prevent?

• A. It prevents appealing a judgment
• B. It ensures automatic settlement of disputes
• C. It prevents relitigation of a matter after final judgment
• D. It requires a new trial on the same facts

Answer: (C)

Res judicata means that once there is a final judgment on the merits, the same parties cannot bring another lawsuit based on the same claim or cause of action. This principle creates finality and efficiency in the legal system, preventing duplicative lawsuits and forcing the issues to be resolved in one complete proceeding. It’s about not relitigating matters after a binding decision has been reached.

The other options don’t fit because appealing a judgment is a separate process governed by appellate rules, not by res judicata. Automatic settlement isn’t guaranteed by this doctrine, and res judicata actually bars a new trial on the same facts for the same claim, rather than requiring one.