Friday’s hearing marked the beginning of a new phase of arguments, after both sides spent months arguing over whether the case should be heard by state or federal courts.

A Wake County judge on Friday rejected election protests from Republican state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin in his battle over 60,000 ballots.

A Wake County Superior Court judge has ruled against Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin, who is trying to invalidate more than 65,000 ballots in the race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court.