On September 19, a lower Montana state court ruled that Rick Jore must pay almost $16,000 of his opponent’s legal fees, even though Jore did not sue anyone. Jore was the Constitution Party state legislator who seemed to have been re-elected last year, until the Montana Supreme Court ruled that six of his ballots were invalid. Jore had hoped that the lower court (which had ruled in his favor in the election contest) would relieve him of the need to pay the fees. Jore will not appeal, but he hopes that the next session of the Montana legislature will provide some relief. There will probably be a special session in December 2005 or January 2006.