Asa S. Davis, III v. Wood Estates, Inc.; Asa S. Davis v. Town of Exeter

Syllabus

The Supreme Court granted two petitions for writ of certiorari filed by the defendant, Town of Exeter, seeking review of (1) a Superior Court order denying the town's motion for judgment on the pleadings in WC 20 515 (asserting constitutional and statutory claims) and (2) a Superior Court order denying the town's motion to dismiss claims filed by the plaintiff, Asa S. Davis, in WC 23 139 (asserting adverse possession claims). The town asserted several assignments of error: (1) that Davis's claims were barred by res judicata and collateral estoppel; (2) that the town did not consent to proceeding with separate actions; (3) that the disputed area is public property and cannot be adversely possessed; and (4) that WC 23 139 should have been dismissed pursuant to the doctrine of judicial estoppel. The Supreme Court held that the trial justice erred in denying the defendant's motions because plaintiff's claims in both cases arose from the same transaction previously at issue in Davis v. Town of Exeter, 285 A.3d 15 (R.I. 2022). The Supreme Court also held that both collateral estoppel and judicial estoppel barred WC 23-139. Accordingly, the Supreme Court quashed the orders of the Superior Court.