Murphy v. Gallagher

CARDAMONE, Circuit Judge.

The crux of this appeal involves an analysis of res judicata. Broadly, res judicata means that a matter once judicially decided is finally decided. Like a river with more than one branch, res judicata embraces two concepts: issue preclusion and claim preclusion. Issue preclusion refers to the preclusive effect of a judgment that prevents a party from litigating a second time an issue of fact or law that has once been decided. Issue preclusion is often called collateral estoppel. The river’s second branch is sometimes referred to by the same name as the river itself.…