Spilker v. Hankin
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
188 F.2d 35 (1951)
Relevant factsFree
After successfully defeating Spilker's (defendant) counterclaim on a smaller note in a first suit, attorney Hankin (plaintiff) sued Spilker again on five larger remaining fee notes, and Spilker again asserted she had already fully paid for his services; the trial court denied Hankin's motion for summary judgment based on collateral estoppel, and after a jury ruled for Spilker, the Municipal Court of Appeals reversed and ordered judgment for Hankin.
IssueFree
Whether the public policies justifying the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel must be weighed against competing policy considerations prior to their application.