Blind Missourians' 11-year court battle for money they're owed may be nearing its end

JEFFERSON CITY • A more than decade-long fight by blind people to get the state to pay them money they are owed may be inching toward a conclusion.

Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce has set a Sept. 18 date to hear what could be final arguments in a settlement affecting more than 3,000 visually impaired Missourians.

Pending the outcome of that hearing and barring further appeals, the state would then have to find more than $23.8 million to distribute to recipients of Missouri's Blind Pension Fund.

Since the 1920's, blind residents have been receiving monthly cash benefits from the state as part of the fund. But the Missouri Council of the Blind asserted for years the payments weren’t being calculated correctly, and brought a successful a lawsuit against the state.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/blind-missourians--year-court-battle-for-money-they-re/article_1e0d3aad-b211-52eb-9fa8-91c3a6020bae.html