laches

American  

[lach-iz] / ˈlætʃ ɪz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. failure to do something at the proper time, especially such delay as will bar a party from bringing a legal proceeding.

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laches British  

/ ˈlætʃɪz /

noun

1. law negligence or unreasonable delay in pursuing a legal remedy

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Etymology

Origin of laches

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English lachesse, from Anglo-French, variant of Middle French laschesse, derivative of Old French lasche “slack” (from Germanic ); see -ice

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

laches

She said the states' action was more akin to law enforcement so "laches," which forbids an unreasonable delay in filing, would not apply.

From Reuters ● Sep. 19, 2022

MacLean invoked the so-called laches defense which applies to situations where there’s an excessive or unreasonable delay in seeking legal recourse.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 15, 2020

Under a doctrine known as laches, litigants cannot wait to bring a claim until the last minute, then ambush their opponents with a surprise lawsuit.

From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2020

Mr. Gabriel said a legal tenet known as laches might apply.

From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2018

It must be for others to say how such a charge, in the present case, is helped by laches or incompetence on the part of the surveyor.

From The Flourishing of Romance and the Rise of Allegory (Periods of European Literature, vol. II) by George Saintsbury

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