Jose Velasquez, Plaintiff-Appellant v. Vera Franz

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey affirmed the Appellate Division's judgment that the federal district court's dismissal of the plaintiff's products‑liability claim under Rule 12(b)(6) constitutes an adjudication on the merits, thereby invoking res judicata to bar the subsequent state‑court action. The Court held that a Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal, absent a specific "without prejudice" designation, operates as a final judgment on the merits and precludes relitigation of the same claim.