If you are in a court case, a judgment from a different civil case is not allowed as evidence to prove a fact in your case. This rule also applies to decisions made by tribunals, which are like special courts that make decisions on specific issues. You cannot use these decisions as evidence to prove a fact in another case.

When a court makes a judgment about a thing, like a piece of land, this rule does not apply. The rule also does not affect the law about res judicata, which means a matter that has already been decided by a court, or issue estoppel, which stops someone from arguing a point they have already lost in court. It also does not affect the law about enforcing a judgment, which is like a court order that says someone must do something.

You can find more information about changes to this law in the Evidence Amendment Act 2016. This law was changed on 8 January 2017. The change was made to clarify how judgments and tribunal decisions can be used as evidence in court cases.