Opinion ID: 201987
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Elements of Res Judicata Are Established

Text: 11 Before res judicata will apply, three factors must be present: (1) a final judgment on the merits in the earlier action; (2) an identity of the cause of action in both the earlier and later suits; and (3) an identity of parties or privies in the two suits. Kale, 924 F.2d at 1165. There is no dispute that elements two and three of res judicata are established. The only remaining issue is whether there was a final judgment on the merits. 12 A final judgment for res judicata purposes end[s] the litigation on the merits and [leaves] nothing for the court to do but execute the judgment. AVX Corp., 424 F.3d at 32 (quoting Acevedo-Villalobos v. Hernandez, 22 F.3d 384, 388 (1st Cir.1994) (citation omitted)). When deciding whether a ruling by a judge ended the litigation, we [are] bound to defer to a reasonable interpretation of the judgment's meaning and effect elucidated by the judicial officer who authored it. Witty v. Dukakis, 3 F.3d 517, 520 (1st Cir.1993). 13 Here, Maher argues that there was no final judgment because his state-law claims were not dismissed without prejudice but were transferred to state court by the district court. The transfer of his state-law claims does not, however, negate the fact that there was a summary judgment on his federal claims which provides the traditional basis for the operation of res judicata. AVX Corp., 424 F.3d at 34 (distinguishing Kale, 924 F.2d at 1165). Moreover, because the district court transferred the state-law claims only after declining to exercise supplemental jurisdiction, the district judge likely meant for the transfer to operate as a dismissal. 6 Thus, the district court rendered a final judgment on the merits. Accordingly, all three elements of the test are established and res judicata applies in this case. 7 14