Opinion ID: 1314380
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Judicial Inconvenience

Text: Finally, the court indicates that the inconvenience to this court in having to schedule, hear, and decide a matter such as this on short notice somehow constitutes prejudice. [8] I disagree. As to the public litigation [9] rationale adopted by the majority, concerned and interested private parties and citizens' groups on all sides of various questions frequently seek resolution of thorny legal matters on short notice. When these matters involve significant issues of public concern, such as compliance with the constitutionally mandated single subject rule, this court should not avoid the merits by raising a shield called laches. Rather, as trial courts do, we should make every effort to hear the merits of the case. I have every confidence that this court could have properly resolved the issues presented without compromising the integrity of the process or its result. Simply put, judicial inconvenience is not the same as laches. Absent a showing of prejudice attributable to short notice, this court should not refuse to hear the merits. The majority's rationale falls under its own weight. If, due to the shortness of time, the court could not adequately assess the merits of the single legal issue raised by plaintiffs' challenge, how could it adequately assess the merits of a laches defense in the same time period? I agree that the quality of judicial decision making should not be seriously compromised. [10] This argument, however, should apply equally to the equitable doctrine of laches as to the constitutionally mandated single subject provision. See Ariz. Const. art. 21, § 1. In sum, I find no grounds in this case on which to conclude that the trial judge erred in rejecting the defense of laches. The trial judge made no finding that the delay was unreasonable, the defendants produced no evidence indicating that it was, and there is simply no showing of real, relevant prejudice. I believe, therefore, that this court could have and should have decided the substantive issue under article 21, § 1. In these days of public relations campaigning, the importance of adhering to the constitution's single subject requirement transcends the inconvenience to court and counsel of grappling with difficult issues on short notice. I therefore dissent.