An afternoon of arguing over what documents Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan will consider in his decison on the Voter Photo ID law has ended, with a court date for arguments about the merit of the law set for next week. In the courtroom Friday afternoon, St. Louis Attorney Thor Hearne presented documents he says will indicate requiring photo identification to cast a ballot is popular and is constitutional. Earlier in the proceedings, the lawyers who have filed suit against the law presented documents for the court to consider; documents that argue quite the opposite. Hearne has been allowed to intervene to defend the law. Hearne represents Senator Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City), the legislative sponsor of the law. Callahan is considering which documents will become part of the official record and weigh in on his decision. Two lawsuits have been combined in the case. One claims the law violates the Hancock Amendment, because it raises costs to local election authorities without providing state funds to pay for them. The other claims the law would disenfranchise thousands of Missourians. Legal arguments for and against the law will be heard in Cole County Circuit Court next week.

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