Maxim 8.8.5
A thing adjudged makes white black, black white, crooked straight, and straight crooked.
Res judicata facit ex albo nigrum, ex nigro album, ex curvo rectum, ex recto curvum.
Source: 1 Bouv. Inst. no. 840; Weisman, 64z
Difficulty 1/5 — Foundational
Explanation
The power of final judgment is absolute — however unjust the result may appear, once finally determined it becomes the legal truth and alters all rights accordingly.
Where this applies
- A final judgment can change everything — black becomes white, wrong becomes right, for legal purposes.
- Once decided, the judgment is the legal truth regardless of what actually happened.
Topics
Legal domains
See also
Cite this maxim
NeCede Max. 8.8.5 — A thing adjudged makes white black, black white, crooked straight, and straight crooked. — 1 Bouv. Inst. no. 840; Weisman, 64z (Res judicata facit ex albo nigrum, ex nigro album, ex curvo rectum, ex recto curvum.)
Found an error? Suggest a correction →