Opinion ID: 1146720
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: law cross-assignment of error

Text: Since Lloyds knew that the Circuit Court of Hinds County had rendered a take-nothing judgment against the Cherrys, it is not surprising that it pleaded that judgment in bar to the present action. The trial judge denied the motion to dismiss, finding that a certain letter from Lloyds counsel, Hayes Callicutt, constituted a waiver of any res judicata argument on Lloyds behalf. Lloyds now argues that there was no such waiver, and that the Hinds County judgment was res judicata to this action. The briefs contain detailed discussion of the Callicutt letter. It is, however, not necessary for us to determine its significance, since the argument for res judicata suffers from a flaw much more glaring. Mississippi follows the general rule that for res judicata to apply, the parties in the two actions must be substantially identical. Dickson v. Western Tar Products Corp., Inc., 277 So.2d 430 (Miss. 1973); Pray v. Hewitt, 254 Miss. 20, 179 So.2d 842 (1965). See also Nilsen v. City of Moss Point, 674 F.2d 379, 382 (5th Cir.1982) (applying Mississippi law). In the present action, the list of co-defendants includes Haynes Brinkley, Inc. In the first action the Cherrys sued Haynes Brinkley as an individual. We cannot agree that there is not a substantial legal difference between the corporate insurance agency and the individual who runs it. Therefore, the parties of the two actions are not the same, and res judicata does not apply.