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Simple English definitions for legal terms
administrative collateral estoppel
Read a random definition: Department of Social Services
A quick definition of administrative collateral estoppel:
Administrative collateral estoppel is a legal term that means when a decision is made by a government agency acting like a judge, that decision can prevent the same issue from being litigated again in a different case. This is called estoppel, and it can be used defensively by a defendant or offensively by a plaintiff. It is a way to prevent the same issue from being argued over and over again in court.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Administrative collateral estoppel is a legal principle that prevents a party from relitigating an issue that has already been decided by an administrative agency acting in a judicial capacity.
Example: Suppose a company is fined by a regulatory agency for violating environmental regulations. The company appeals the decision, but the appeal is denied. Later, a group of citizens files a lawsuit against the company for the same environmental violations. The company cannot relitigate the issue of whether it violated the environmental regulations because of administrative collateral estoppel.
This example illustrates how administrative collateral estoppel prevents a party from relitigating an issue that has already been decided by an administrative agency acting in a judicial capacity. In this case, the company cannot challenge the finding of the regulatory agency in a subsequent lawsuit brought by a different party.
administrative adjudication | Administrative Conference of the United States