Multiplicity of suits
Multiplicity of suits is a term to describe when more than one lawsuit exists regarding the same transaction or occurrence. The law generally attempts to avoid this situation and there are several rules in place when such situations occur. The main risk with several lawsuits over the same subject matter is that the different lawsuits may result in clearly contradictory results.
For example, a
In addition, courts discourage more than one lawsuit being started between the same parties in the same dispute. For example, in a business dispute, if new causes of action arise out of the same problem (for example, ongoing patent infringement), the court will generally require new allegations to be brought into the existing lawsuit rather than allowing a new lawsuit to be started.