Opinion ID: 4547416
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Laches Generally

Text: ¶11 Laches is an affirmative, equitable defense designed to bar relief when a claimant's failure to promptly bring a claim causes prejudice to the party having to defend against that claim. Sawyer v. Midelfort, 227 Wis. 2d 124, 159, 595 N.W.2d 423 (1999). While formulated differently across cases and jurisdictions, the laches doctrine is broadly understood to ask whether a party delayed without good reason in raising a claim, and whether that delay prejudiced the party seeking to defend against that claim. See State ex rel. Wren v. Richardson, 2019 WI 110, ¶14, 389 Wis. 2d 516, 936 N.W.2d 587 (explaining that laches is founded on the notion that equity aids the vigilant, and not those who sleep on their rights to the detriment of the opposing party (quoted source omitted)). ¶12 In Wisconsin, application of laches is premised on proof of three elements: (1) a party unreasonably delays in bringing a claim; (2) a second party lacks knowledge that the 7 The partial veto challenge in CUB was filed ten months after the vetoed biennial budget bill went into effect. See 194 Wis. 2d at 487-89. While initiated later than the other veto cases, this original action was still filed more than eight months before a new biennial budget was proposed by the governor and more than thirteen months before a new biennial budget bill was published. See S. Journal, 92d. Reg. Sess., at 73-79 (governor's 1995-97 biennial budget message delivered to the legislature on February 14, 1995); 1995 Wis. Act 27 (published on July 28, 1995). 8 No. 2019AP2054-OA first party would raise that claim; and (3) the second party is prejudiced by the delay. Id., ¶15. The party seeking application of laches bears the burden of proving each element. Id. Whether that burden is carried is a question of law. Id., ¶16. Even if all three elements are satisfied, application of laches is left to the sound discretion of the court asked to apply this equitable bar. Id., ¶15.