K. Don Sirisena et al. v. Porage Dona Lisahami et al. – CA 165/1997-1997

Brief

In the dispute between Porage Dona Lisahami and others (Plaintiff/Respondent) and Kolambage Don Dayarathne and others (Defendant/Appellant), the court addressed whether an earlier partition case judgment (case No. 14490/P) operated as res judicata, thereby precluding the plaintiffs’ claim to a specific portion of land (lot 3). The court determined that the trial judge failed to properly consider the operative effect of res judicata and incorrectly defined the relevant corpus of land by disregarding material documentary evidence and legal principles. The decision reaffirmed that res judicata prevents re-litigation of matters already adjudicated between the same parties. In setting aside the trial judge’s judgment, the applicable legal doctrine and prior precedents were emphasized, ho