Magistrate Court Question

My wife had a magistrate hearing in which the plaintiff didnt show up. The judge told her at the hearing that the case was dismissed and she was free to go and that she would receive a letter in the mail on her decision. She got the letter and it says judgement in the favor of the defendant cause plaintiff didnt show and that defendant owes plaintiff nothing. The question I have is does that mean that the case cant be refiled or is that the magistrates way of saying dismissed? Have heard about dismissed with prejudice and dismissed with out predjudice but does that work in magistrate court also?