State ex rel. Meyers v. City of Columbus

The court of appeals denied Meyers’s request for a writ of mandamus because (1) Meyers was guilty of laches in bringing the mandamus action, and (2) pursuant to the city charter, Meyers failed to establish a right to be appointed police sergeant earlier than the date he was promoted.

*605“The elements of a laches defense are (1) unreasonable delay or lapse of time in asserting a right, (2) absence of an excuse for such delay, (3) knowledge, actual or constructive, of the injury or wrong, and (4) prejudice to the other party.” State ex rel. Cater v. N. Olmsted (1994), 69 Ohio St.3d 315, 325, 631…