The term “laches” might sound like a disease—and for some plaintiffs, it can feel like one.
This lesser-known legal doctrine can “infect” a valid claim, stopping it from moving forward if the plaintiff waited too long to take action.
Let’s take a closer look at laches and how it might impact your personal injury claim.
What does laches mean?
Laches is a legal doctrine that allows courts to refuse to help a plaintiff who has delayed asserting their rights in a way that unfairly harms the defendant.
Essentially, if a plaintiff has a valid legal claim but delays taking action for an unreasonable period of time, causing harm to the defendant, they might lose their right to pursue the claim.
Historically, laches developed to prevent stale claims from being enforced after key facts may have faded, evidence deteriorated, or witnesses disappeared. In other words, laches is about balancing fairness by encouraging timely action and protecting defendants from the burden of defending old claims.
Learn the difference between a plaintiff and a defendant in a civil case, including which party has the burden of proof.
What is considered an unreasonable delay?
Courts apply the doctrine of laches when a plaintiff has delayed filing their claim for an unreasonably long time.
There is no strict test for determining whether a delay is unreasonable. Instead, courts examine the unique circumstances of each case to assess whether the delay caused significant prejudice (harm) to the defendant. This analysis often considers whether the delay resulted in lost evidence or the unavailability of key witnesses, both of which could make it unfair to require the defendant to defend the claim.
For example, in Cagle v. Cagle, 586 S.E.2d 665, 666 (Ga. 2003), the Supreme Court of Georgia found that a 36-year delay in bringing a claim for a constructive trust was unreasonable. This delay led to the loss of key witnesses and the loss of essential evidence, making it difficult for the defendant to mount an effective defense.
Similarly, in Skrodelis v. Norbergs, 707 N.Y.S.2d 197, 198 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000), the New York Appellate Division emphasized that merely waiting is not enough for laches to apply. For laches to bar a claim, there must also be a clear showing that the defendant was harmed by the delay.
Courts also consider whether the claimant gave notice of the potential claim. For instance, in AT&T Co. v. F/V Shinnecock (District of New Jersey, 1991), AT&T informed the defendant about possible legal action within a reasonable timeframe. This communication reduced the impact of AT&T’s delay, as the defendant was not caught off guard, and it prevented the application of laches.
Does Intent Matter?
Intent to harm is generally not required for the doctrine of laches to apply.
Courts focus on the delay itself and its effect on the defendant, rather than on whether the plaintiff delayed the claim intentionally to harm the defendant. While an intentional delay might strengthen a laches defense, it is not essential. The main question is whether the plaintiff’s inaction caused actual harm to the defendant, regardless of the plaintiff’s motives.
How is laches different from the statute of limitations or the statute of repose?
Laches, statutes of limitations, and statutes of repose are all legal defenses that limit claims, but they function in different ways.
A statute of limitations sets a fixed timeframe—typically ranging from 1 to 6 years, depending on the type of claim—within which a plaintiff must file a lawsuit after suffering an injury. If the plaintiff fails to file within this time period, the claim is permanently barred, regardless of the circumstances.
Laches, on the other hand, is a flexible doctrine that considers the effects of delay rather than specific time limits. Courts apply laches based on whether the delay caused significant harm to the defendant, not on the length of time alone. This means that laches could apply even if the statute of limitations has not yet expired.
Statutes of repose are different from both laches and statutes of limitations. They impose a strict deadline based on some triggering event that has nothing to do with a plaintiff’s injury (such as the completion of a product or construction project). Statutes of repose are common in product liability and construction defect claims to prevent indefinite liability.
Common areas of law where the defense of laches is used
The laches defense is frequently raised in areas such as intellectual property, real estate disputes, and inheritance claims.
For instance, in intellectual property law, laches can prevent a patent holder from enforcing their rights if they delay taking action against an alleged infringer. Imagine a patent holder waits several years after discovering another company is using their patented technology before filing a lawsuit. If the delay led the other company to invest heavily in that technology, believing the patent holder would not pursue a claim, the court may apply laches to protect the company from having to dismantle its operations.
In real estate disputes, laches can apply when a property owner delays in challenging another party’s encroachment on their land or boundary lines. For example, if a property owner notices a neighbor building a fence that slightly crosses the property line but waits decades to raise the issue, the neighbor might have made significant improvements based on the assumption that the fence location was accepted. In this case, a court may invoke laches, as the neighbor relied on the property owner’s inaction to their detriment.
In inheritance claims, laches can bar a delayed challenge to an estate distribution. Suppose a family member learns they were left out of a will but waits several years after the estate is settled before bringing a claim. If other heirs have since spent or invested their inheritance, the delay may be deemed unreasonable and prejudicial, leading a court to apply laches and prevent reopening the estate.
Laches in personal injury cases
In personal injury cases, laches is less common due to strict statutes of limitations, which set clear deadlines for filing. However, laches can still play a role in unique scenarios where a delay creates an unfair disadvantage for the defendant.
For example, consider a case where an individual is injured in a slip-and-fall accident at a restaurant. The individual receives initial treatment but feels their injuries are minor and doesn’t file a claim right away.
A few years later, their injuries worsen, and they decide to sue the restaurant just before the statute of limitations expires. During this time, however, the restaurant has changed ownership, the building has been remodeled, and surveillance footage from that period has long been erased as part of regular data management.
Additionally, employees who were on duty at the time may have left, and maintenance records about the floor’s condition may have been discarded. The restaurant owner could argue laches, claiming that the delay has made it impossible to gather evidence or locate witnesses, putting them at an unfair disadvantage.