Peterson v. Newton

OPINION

BROWN, Judge.

¶ 1 The question before us is whether entry of a judgment in the small claims division of the justice court (“small claims court”) may have claim preclusive effect on a subsequent lawsuit. For the following reasons, we hold that a plaintiff who chooses to litigate a claim under the simplified procedures of small claims court may be barred by the doctrine of claim preclusion from bringing a second lawsuit based on the same claim alleged in the first lawsuit. Because the doctrine applies here, we affirm the superior court’s order dismissing a complaint that involved the same…