Missouri Supreme Court won’t hear Kansas City red light camera case

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that it will not hear the cases of three cities whose red-light camera laws were challenged in lower courts.

The high court denied transfer requests by the cities of Kansas City, Creve Coeur and red-light camera vendor American Traffic Solutions Inc. The high court also rejected a request that came from an appeals court ruling involving the city of Florissant.

Appellate courts in Kansas City and St. Louis raised concerns about local red-light ordinances based in part on how driver’s license points are handled. The courts ruled that contrary to the ordinances, running a red light is a moving violation and that Missouri law requires points be assessed. Appeals were filed to the Missouri Supreme Court.

Kansas City officials said they would suspend the program until the state Supreme Court could provide a final answer.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the state Supreme Court has not yet addressed more recent rulings by the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District in cases involving challenges to the Ellisville and Arnold photo enforcement ordinances.

ATS spokesman Charles Territo said in a statement the company is hopeful the Missouri Supreme Court will take up one of the remaining cases.

This story was originally published February 26, 2014 at 7:04 AM with the headline "Missouri Supreme Court won’t hear Kansas City red light camera case."