Opponents of new Missouri House districts are taking their legal challenge to a trial court after being turned down by the state Supreme Court.
A lawsuit challenging state House districts was filed Friday in Cole County. Its filing was expected after the state high court on Thursday declined a request to strike down the House map but permitted the case to be filed in a trial court.
The plaintiffs contend the new map violates requirements that districts have similar populations and be contiguous and compact.
The lawsuit filed Friday adds a new claim, asserting the appellate judges who developed the map violated Missouri's open meetings law by not providing notice of meetings and holding discussions in private.
Candidate filing starts Feb. 28.
