What is the doctrine of laches?

The doctrine of laches is a legal principle in Idaho’s civil procedure. When a person has waited too long to pursue a legal claim or defense, the doctrine of laches may be applied to bar the waiting person from doing so. Laches is an equitable, judicially-recognized defense to a lawsuit in which a defendant can assert that the plaintiff has waited too long to pursue legal action and so should not be allowed to proceed. This defense can be based on the fact that the plaintiff’s failure to take timely action has caused the defendant to suffer prejudice or has prejudiced the ability of the court to render a fair decision. In Idaho courts, for a plaintiff to successfully overcome a laches defense, the plaintiff must prove that the delay in filing their claim was not prejudicial or unfair to the defendant. Generally, this is evaluated by considering the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, and the harm suffered by the defendant. It is important to note that the doctrine of laches is only used when there is no statutory limitation period on the suit.

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What is the doctrine of laches?

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