res judicata

Meanings

1. A legal claim that has already been decided in another lawsuit or proceeding, and therefore must be dismissed.
2. The legal doctrine that claims that a case already decided in a proceeding may not be brought in any later proceeding.

Etymology

From Latin rēs (“thing, matter, affair”) and jūdicata, feminine nominative singular form of jūdicatus, past participle of jūdico (“judge”).