The Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday will be asked to throw out the newly drawn map of Missouri Senate Districts.

There is some urgency for a decision since candidate filing begins Feb. 28. Arguments are scheduled Thursday in SC92237, State ex rel. Molly Teichman v. Robin Carnahan, et al.

The plaintiffs claim the commission charged with redrawing the new Senate districts did so behind closed doors, and then unnecessarily splitting counties among several districts.

“The panel of judges filed a redistricting plan which is ordinarily the end of their duties” attorney David Brown of Columbia told the Missouri Net.

“Then ten days later they filed another redistricting plan because the first plan is obviously unconstitutional.”

Brown is asking the high court to throw out both maps.

If the Supreme Court agrees, the Governor must appoint a new panel of appellate judges and the process begins again.

The court will also hear arguments Thursday in a second challenge, SC92200 Kenneth Pearson, et al. v. Chris Koster, et al. That case is an appeal from Cole County involving a constitutional challenge to the congressional redistricting plan adopted in House Bill No. 193.