A judge who ground to a halt Wisconsin's collective bargaining law by declaring it not yet in effect returns to her courtroom Friday for the next round in the battle of the Badger State over the rights of state workers to negotiate their pay and benefits.

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi was hearing testimony on Friday on allegations that Republicans violated the state's open meetings law during the dramatic buildup to passage of the legislation this month.

It's unclear whether Sumi, who ruled Thursday that the union bill hadn't been properly published, will make a decision immediately after arguments, but any decision is nearly guaranteed to unleash a flurry of appeals that could stretch to the state Supreme Court...