Prior Court Ruling Can Not Be Altered Even If Erroneous

In reversing the trial court’s termination of the plaintiff-husband’s obligation to provide defendant-wife with medical coverage, the Fourth Department explained that it must apply the doctrine of res judicata, even where  the prior ruling had been erroneously decided:

We agree with defendant that the court erred in terminating plaintiff’s obligation to provide her with medical insurance coverage inasmuch as our prior order requires plaintiff to provide her with that coverage. As a general rule, the doctrine of res judicata bars relitigation of previously adjudicated disputes “even where further investigation of the law or facts indicates that the controversy has been erroneously decided, whether due to oversight by the parties or error by the courts” … .As relevant here, “a final judgment of divorce settles the parties’ rights pertaining not only to those issues that were actually litigated, but also to those that could have been litigated” … .“[A]bsent unusual circumstances or explicit statutory authorization, the provisions of [such a] judgment are final and binding on the parties, and may be modified only upon direct challenge” … .Here, plaintiff did not take an appeal from our prior order, seek reargument of that order, or make a proper application to modify it. He is therefore foreclosed from collaterally attacking it in the context of this action … . Lomaglio v Lomaglio, 142, CA 12-01317, 4th Dept. 3-15-13