The court of appeals reversed, holding that the judgment in BW-I was not final because the appellate process had not been exhausted. Brown-Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl Co., 715 N.W.2d 484, 488 (Minn.App. 2006), rev. granted (Minn. Aug. 23, 2006).
The Court will therefore dismiss all claims with prejudice. See Brown-Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl & Co., P.L.L.P., 715 N.W.2d 484, 487 (Minn. Ct. App. 2006) ("Under the doctrine of res judicata, a final judgment on the merits is an absolute bar to a second suit for the same cause of action and is conclusive, not only as to every matter actually litigated, but also as to every matter that might have been litigated."), aff'd on other grounds, 732 N.W.2d 209 (Minn. 2007).
The third prong requires the court to decide if there was a final judgment on the merits in the first case. For res judicata, a judgment is final when "the appellate process is exhausted." Brown-Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl & Co., 715 N.W.2d 484, 488 (Minn. Ct. App. 2006) (citation omitted). The Minnesota Supreme Court has stated that "[s]ummary judgment is a determination on the merits."
For res judicata, a judgment is final when "the appellate process is exhausted." Brown-Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl & Co., 715 N.W.2d 484, 488 (Minn. Ct. App. 2006) (citation omitted). The Minnesota Supreme Court has stated that "[s]ummary judgment is a determination on the merits."
The third prong requires the court to decide if there was a final judgment on the merits in the first case. For res judicata, a judgment is final when “the appellate process is exhausted.” Brown–Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl & Co., 715 N.W.2d 484, 488 (Minn.Ct.App.2006) (citation omitted). The Minnesota Supreme Court has stated that “[s]ummary judgment is a determination on the merits.”
See Brown-Wilbert III, 732 N.W.2d at 220-22 (analyzing whether there was final judgment on the merits in first action for purpose of applying res judicata). Latham also argues that res judicata cannot be applied here based on this court's decision in Brown-Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl & Co., P.L.L.P., 715 N.W.2d 484 (Minn. App. 2006) (Brown-Wilbert II), aff'd on other grounds, 732 N.W.2d 209 (Minn. 2007). In that case, we concluded that a prior judgment was not final for the purpose of applying res judicata because the appellate process had not been exhausted.
A judgment is final, for purposes of res judicata, once "the appellate process is exhausted." Brown-Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl Co., 715 N.W.2d 484, 488 (Minn. App. 2006). Carlson argues that the district court erred by concluding that there was a final judgment on the merits in the prior action.
On appeal, this court reversed the dismissal of BW-II, holding that the judgment in BW-I was not final until the appellate process was exhausted. Brown-Wilbert, Inc. v. Copeland Buhl Co., 715 N.W.2d 484, 488 (Minn.App. 2006). The Minnesota Supreme Court granted review of both BW-I and BW-II, and consolidated the two cases.