Opinion ID: 2626513
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Preclusive Effect of a Federal Judgment Is Governed By Federal Law.

Text: The doctrine of res judicata, or claim preclusion, is founded in concerns of judicial economy to prevent litigants from bringing successive actions based on the same facts. Kauhane v. Acutron Co., Inc., 71 Haw. 458, 463, 795 P.2d 276, 278-79 (1990). In Semtek Int'l Inc. v. Lockheed Martin Corp., 531 U.S. 497, 507, 121 S.Ct. 1021, 149 L.Ed.2d 32 (2001), the United States Supreme Court stated that no federal textual provision addresses the claim-preclusive effect of a federal-court judgment in a federal-question case, yet we have long held that States cannot give those judgments merely whatever effect they would give their own judgments, but must accord them the effect that this Court prescribes. Cf. Int'l Bhd. of Elec. Workers, Local 1357 v. Hawaiian Tel., 68 Haw. 316, 331 n. 17, 713 P.2d 943, 955 n. 17 (1986) (In a subsequent state court action, the collateral estoppel effect of a federal law ruling in a prior federal court adjudication is a question of federal law. (Citing Limbach v. Hooven & Allison Co., 466 U.S. 353, 361-62, 104 S.Ct. 1837, 80 L.Ed.2d 356 (1984))). Because the federal suit was based on federal question jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1343, we must apply federal claim preclusion law.