Disagreeing with  JSJ Limited Partnership v. Mehrban (2012) 205 Cal.App.4th 1512, this decision holds that a dismissal of the underlying lawsuit on res judicata grounds may constitute a favorable termination of that lawsuit permitting a follow-on malicious prosecution action if the judgment in the yet earlier case which was given res judicata effect was resolved on the merits.  I.e., if judgment is entered on the merits in case 1, then dismissal of case 2 on res judicata grounds is a favorable termination sufficient to support a malicious prosecution claim in case 3.