Opinion ID: 45527
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The District Court's Order of Analysis of the Identities

Text: 26 Black also argues that the district court improperly considered whether she could have brought her claims before determining whether the four identities existed. Under the Mississippi law of res judicata, once the four identities are established, any claims that could have been brought in the prior action are barred. LaVere, 895 So.2d at 832-33. Black is correct that this could have rule comes into effect only once the four identities have been established. See id. at 835. However, the district court did not first conclude that Doe could have brought her federal claims in state court before determining whether res judicata was applicable. Rather, the court found that the elements of res judicata were satisfied. It then reached the issue of whether the federal constitutional claims could have been litigated with the state negligence claims. There was no error in the order of the district court's analysis.