City of Cincinnati ex rel. Crotty v. City of Cincinnati

It is a generally accepted rule that in absence of fraud or collusion, a judgment for or against a governmental body, such as a municipal corporation, is binding and conclusive as res judicata on all residents, citizens and taxpayers with respect to matters adjudicated which are of general and public interest,1 except where the proceedings were not of an adversary character.2 This rule *29is in accordance with the general policy favoring finality of judgments where a matter has been litigated upon the merits. Where, as here, the case involves a single cause of action, the prior judgment is…