Nebraska medical marijuana trial ends; decision could come in about two weeks

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A trial over two medical marijuana ballot initiatives in Nebraska wrapped up on Monday — the eve of the general election.

Lancaster County Judge Susan Strong did not rule on whether claims of fraud or illegal notarizing were strong enough to invalidate them.

She gave the plaintiff and the Nebraska secretary of state until Nov. 12 to submit their final briefs in the case.

SEE ALSO: Judge won’t block counting of votes on Nebraska medical marijuana initiatives

The sponsors of the petitions must respond by Nov. 15.

If needed, the plaintiff and the secretary of state can submit rebuttals by Nov. 18.

Strong will issue her ruling after receiving all the briefs.

SEE ALSO: Fraud trial begins for Nebraska medical marijuana petitions

During the trial, witnesses testified that circulators signed petition pages without a public notary watching and that notaries notarized pages without the circulator.

State law requires that circulators and notaries be in each other’s presence during those actions.

An investigator with the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office said more than 30,000 signatures on each petition were “tainted by notary malfeasance.”

SEE ALSO: Thousands more signatures on Nebraska medical marijuana petitions under scrutiny

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana has denied allegations of widespread fraud, saying Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Secretary of State Bob Evnen are trying to disenfranchise voters.

Meanwhile, voters have been weighing in both initiatives. One would legalize medical marijuana, and the other would enable the state to regulate it.

Last week, the plaintiff asked the judge to block the counting of votes until after the trial. But Strong denied that request.

Voting ends at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska notary public charged in fraudulent petition signature probe