Opinion ID: 1694303
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: was the homeowners association of the village of woodgreen guilty of laches in failing to take timely action to attempt to prevent the appellant from substantially completing construction of her home?

Text: Appellants raise, for the first time on appeal, the affirmative defense of laches. However, this Court has held that it need not address issues raised for the first time on appeal. R & S Development, Inc. v. Wilson, 534 So.2d 1008, 1012 (Miss. 1988). Furthermore, Rule 8(c) of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure provides that: Affirmative Defenses. In pleading to a preceding pleading, a party shall set forth affirmatively ... laches ... and any other matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense. M.R.C.P. 8(c). For a party to rely on an affirmative defense, the party must affirmatively plead the defense. Wholey v. Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., 530 So.2d 136, 138 (Miss. 1988). Affirmative defenses that are neither pled nor tried by consent are deemed waived. Id. Affirmatively pleading the defense of laches ordinarily calls for a full hearing of testimony of both sides. Allen v. Mayer, 587 So.2d 255, 260 (Miss. 1991). In the present case, the appellants failed to affirmatively plead the defense of laches and also failed to raise the defense at any time during the hearings. Therefore, appellants are procedurally barred from raising the defense of laches for the first time on appeal.