When a party who files a lawsuit unreasonably delays moving the lawsuit toward a resolution (delays prosecution of the case), it is presumed the case has been abandoned, and the court may dismiss the lawsuit for want of prosecution. Such a dismissal for want of prosecution is commonly referred to as a DWOP. A party may ask the court to dismiss a case for want of prosecution, or the judge may do so without a request from a party (sua sponte).
In Minnesota, if a party who has filed a lawsuit does not actively pursue the case, it may be presumed that the case has been abandoned. This can lead to the court dismissing the lawsuit for want of prosecution, often abbreviated as DWOP. Both the opposing party and the court have the authority to address such inactivity. An opposing party may file a motion to dismiss the case for lack of prosecution, citing the plaintiff's unreasonable delay in moving the case forward. Additionally, a judge has the power to dismiss a case sua sponte, which means on their own initiative, without a request from either party, if they determine that there has been an unreasonable delay. The specific rules and timeframes for when a court may dismiss a case for want of prosecution are governed by Minnesota's Rules of Civil Procedure and relevant case law.