Cities that operate their own courts are required by state law to submit financial reports to the office of Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich no later than six months after the end of a fiscal year. The purpose is so the auditor can check municipalities’ compliance with a state law capping the revenue from court fines and fees at 30 percent of the city’s general revenue. The law requires the city to turn over excess fines and fees to the state to fund education.

Brendan D. Roediger, assistant clinical professor at St. Louis University, said the lawyers would try to certify the case as a class-action lawsuit to include anyone with a traffic citation issued after July 1. The lead plaintiff, LaMarcus Pruiett, 24, of St. Louis County, could not immediately be reached for comment. According to the suit, he was stopped for speeding on Sept. 4, pleaded not guilty on Oct. 15 and is next due in court on Nov. 12.

Roediger said a league of Missouri municipalities lost a court challenge to the law mandating the 30 percent cap and reports to the auditor, but the appeal is pending in the state Supreme Court.

He pointed to the state law that said municipalities “shall suffer an immediate loss of jurisdiction” for failing to report financial information to the auditor on time. He said Bel-Ridge was not the only municipality defying the law.