Opinion ID: 1179958
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Res Judicata effect of Ulaleo

Text: The Ninth Circuit's decision in Ulaleo v. Paty, 902 F.2d 1395 (9th Cir.1990), and the doctrine of res judicata bar relitigation of PDF's § 1983 claims. To explicate this holding, we first review the basic tenets of res judicata. This court has consistently recognized that: The judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction is a bar to a new action in any court between the same parties or their privies concerning the same subject matter, and precludes the relitigation, not only of the issues which were actually litigated in the first action, but also of all grounds of claim and defense which might have been properly litigated in the first action but were not litigated or decided. Morneau v. Stark Enters., 56 Haw. 420, 422-23, 539 P.2d 472, 474-75 (1975) (quoting Ellis v. Crockett, 51 Haw. 45, 55, 451 P.2d 814, 822 (1969)) (quoting In re Bishop Estate, 36 Haw. 403, 416 (1943)). In Morneau, we also commented on the implications of the doctrine of collateral estoppel: Collateral estoppel is an aspect of res judicata which precludes the relitigation of a fact or issue which was previously determined in a prior suit on a different claim between the same parties or their privies.... Collateral estoppel also precludes relitigation of facts or issues previously determined when it is raised defensively by one not a party in a prior suit against one who was a party in that suit and who himself raised and litigated the fact or issue. 56 Haw. at 423, 539 P.2d at 475 (citations omitted). These principles are tempered only by the prerequisite that a plaintiff have a full and fair opportunity to litigate the relevant issues. See Morneau, 56 Haw. at 421-22, 539 P.2d at 474; see also Allen v. McCurry, 449 U.S. 90, 95, 101 S.Ct. 411, 415, 66 L.Ed.2d 308 (1980) (noting a long recognized exception that collateral estoppel cannot apply when the party against whom the earlier decision is asserted did not have a `full and fair opportunity' to litigate that issue in the earlier case). There is no question that PDF brought an official capacity suit in federal court against the defendant BLNR members on nearly identical § 1983 claims, although in the present case PDF no longer asks the court to void the land exchange. PDF suggests that, because the Ninth Circuit did not reach the merits of the breach of trust claims in Ulaleo, there is no preclusive effect in this case. However, in dismissing that suit on eleventh amendment grounds, the court held that PDF sought retrospective relief against the State for the breach of the public lands trust. Ulaleo, 902 F.2d at 1398-1400. The finding that PDF sought retrospective relief is binding in this action. The significance of this binding effect is elucidated in our discussion of the State's sovereign immunity in Parts II.B. and II.C. of this opinion. The Ninth Circuit ruling presents us with another facet of res judicata. That is, PDF may not escape the preclusive effect of the Ninth Circuit's ruling by advancing a different remedial theory. The rule against splitting a cause of action is an aspect of res judicata and precludes the splitting of a single cause of action or an entire claim either as to the theory of recovery or the specific relief demanded. Bolte v. Aits, Inc., 60 Haw. 58, 60, 587 P.2d 810, 812 (1978) (citations omitted). Therefore, we hold that PDF is barred by the doctrine of res judicata from asserting its breach of § 5(f) trust and fourteenth amendment claims brought under § 1983.