Opinion ID: 2198154
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Laches Bars Anna's Claim

Text: In 1996, Anna sought to challenge the 1978 real estate transaction. Anna seeks to defeat John Hudak's right to inherit the property from Helen even though when Helen and John Procek were alive, all parties acted as if the property was Helen's to dispose of in her will and John Procek subsequently validated John Hudak's inheritance with an agreement for lifetime rights. The doctrine of laches operates as a bar to Anna's complaint because of her delay in asserting her claim until after the death of the three most knowledgeable parties. Although Anna seeks to set aside the 1978 real estate transaction, the two events that occurred before and in 1990 are almost equally significant because they both are inconsistent with Anna's present challenge. With regard to the 1978 settlement, John Hudak is prejudiced by Anna's eighteen-year delay due to the deaths of the closing attorney (1989), Helen (1990) and John Procek (1993). John Hudak is further prejudiced from presenting testimony about the decision to leave the property in Helen's name during Helen's lifetime because Helen and John Procek are now both deceased. Finally, John Hudak is prejudiced by John Procek's death from explaining why John Procek acknowledged the validity of the transfer by will from Helen to John Hudak in exchange for the lifetime rights to reside in the property that were provided for in the 1990 agreement. More than one hundred years ago, the United States Supreme Court described the equitable rule of law that must be applied in this case: [W]here the seal of death has closed the lips of those whose character is involved, and lapse of time has impaired the recollection of transactions and obscured their details, the welfare of society demands the rigid enforcement of the rule of diligence. The hour-glass must supply the ravages of the scythe, and those who have slept upon their rights must be remitted to the repose from which they should not have been aroused. [77] Anna's 1996 complaint is barred by the doctrine of laches. It is impossible for the Court of Chancery to provide entire justice with regard to the 1978 real estate transaction because two of the three principal participants and one other witness have died.