Virtual Representation Doctrine Law and Legal Definition
According to this doctrine a judgment may bind a person who is not a party to the litigation if one of the parties is so closely aligned with the nonparty's interests that the nonparty has been adequately represented by the party in court. For example, a judgment in a case naming only the husband as a party can be binding on his wife as well. In short a person who is represented by another party need not be made a party to the proceeding for the judgment to be binding on such person. This allows the action to proceed without minors, unborns, and persons under disability. The doctrine arose in England and was used in the United States in the early 1800s in cases involving multiple parties. In estate and trust proceedings, a restricted form of the doctrine was recognized both at common law and in the first Restatement of Property. The doctrine was greatly expanded by New York legislation enacted in 1967, the elements of which have been adopted by many other jurisdictions, either by statute or case law.
In Taylor v. Sturgell, 553 U.S. 880 (U.S. 2008),, the United States Supreme Court rejected the emerging use of the “virtual representation” theory as a basis for applying claim preclusion or issue preclusion against a litigant who was not a party to the earlier judgment.
The following is an example of a State Statute ( Idaho) on Virtual Representation doctrine:
Idaho Code § 15-1-403 . Pleadings -- When parties bound by others -- Notice
In judicial proceedings involving trusts or estates of decedents, minors, protected persons, or incapacitated persons, and in judicially supervised settlements, the following apply:
(a) Interests to be affected shall be described in pleadings which give reasonable information to owners by name or class, by reference to the instrument creating the interests, or in other appropriate manner.
(b) Persons are bound by orders binding others in the following cases:
(1) Orders binding the sole holder or all coholders of a power of revocation or a presently exercisable general power of appointment, including one (1) in the form of a power of amendment, bind other persons to the extent their interests (as objects, takers in default, or otherwise) are subject to the power.
(2) To the extent there is no conflict of interest between them or among persons represented, orders binding a conservator bind the person whose estate he controls; orders binding a guardian bind the ward if no conservator of his estate has been appointed; orders binding a trustee bind beneficiaries of the trust in proceedings to probate a will establishing or adding to a trust, to review the acts or accounts of a prior fiduciary and in proceedings involving creditors or other third parties; and orders binding a personal representative bind persons interested in the undistributed assets of a decedent's estate in actions or proceedings by or against the estate. If there is no conflict of interest and no conservator or guardian has been appointed, a parent may represent and bind his minor child.
(3) An unborn or unascertained person who is not otherwise represented is bound by an order to the extent his interest is adequately represented by another party having a substantially identical interest in the proceeding.
(c) Notice is required as follows:
(1) Notice as prescribed by section 15-1-401 of this code shall be given to every interested person or to one who can bind an interested person as described in subsection b(1) or b(2) of this section. Notice may be given both to a person and to another who may bind him.
(2) Notice is given to unborn or unascertained persons, who are not represented under subsection b(1) or b(2) of this section, by giving notice to all known persons whose interests in the proceedings are substantially identical to those of the unborn or unascertained persons.
(d) At any point in a proceeding, a court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the interest of a minor, an incapacitated, unborn, or unascertained person, or a person whose identity or address is unknown, if the court determines that representation of the interest otherwise would be inadequate. If not precluded by conflict of interests, a guardian ad litem may be appointed to represent several persons or interests. The court shall set out its reasons for appointing a guardian ad litem as a part of the record of the proceeding.
Idaho Code § 15-8-205. Application of doctrine of virtual representation
(1) This section is intended to adopt the common law concept of virtual representation. This section supplements the common law relating to the doctrine of virtual representation and the provisions of section 15-1-403, Idaho Code, and shall not be construed as limiting the application of that common law doctrine or the provisions of section 15-1-403, Idaho Code.
(2) Any notice requirement in this chapter is satisfied if notice is given as follows:
(a) Where an interest in an estate, trust, or nonprobate asset, or an interest that may be affected by a power of attorney, has been given to persons who comprise a certain class upon the happening of a certain event, notice may be given to the living persons who would constitute the class if the event had happened immediately before the commencement of the proceedings requiring notice, and the persons shall virtually represent all other members of the class;
(b) Where an interest in an estate, trust, or nonprobate asset, or an interest that may be affected by a power of attorney, has been given to a living person, and the same interest, or a share in it, is to pass to the surviving spouse or to persons who are, or might be, the distributees, heirs, issue, or other kindred of that living person upon the happening of a future event, notice may be given to that living person, and the living person shall virtually represent the surviving spouse, distributees, heirs, issue, or other kindred of the person; and
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (2), where an interest in an estate, trust, or nonprobate asset, or an interest that may be affected by a power of attorney, has been given to a person or a class of persons, or both, upon the happening of any future event, and the same interest or a share of the interest is to pass to another person or class of persons, or both, upon the happening of an additional future event, notice may be given to the living person or persons who would take the interest upon the happening of the first event, and the living person or persons shall virtually represent the persons and classes of persons who might take upon the happening of the additional future event.
(3) A party is not virtually represented by a person receiving notice if a conflict of interest involving the matter is known to exist between the notified person and the party.
(4) An action taken by the court is conclusive and binding upon each person receiving actual or constructive notice or who is otherwise virtually represented.
