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Hearing on Florida Hand Recounts Ends with Ruling Deferred
Florida's Supreme Court on Monday ended a historic hearing on arguments from the camps of Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush on the validity of hand recounts of presidential ballots in the state but deferred a ruling until Tuesday at the earliest.
Seven judges, six appointed by Democratic governors and one independent, were present at the hearing which began at 2:00 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) in Florida capital of Tallahassee and lasted two and a half hours.
The court then recessed and US television networks said that a ruling was not expected until Tuesday or even Wednesday.
"The court is certainly aware of the historic nature of this session and is aware that this is a matter of utmost and vital importance to our nation, our state and our world," Charles Wells, chief justice of the court, said at the beginning of the hearing.
During the televised hearing, attorneys for Gore and Bush fielded often tough questions from the judges.
The key questions the court has to settle are as follows:
-- When should manual recount be done and how should they be done?
-- Should the results of hand recounts be included in the final total of Florida votes?
-- Did Florida's secretary of state act properly to impose and enforce a November 14 deadline for all 67 counties in the state to report vote results?
A ruling on those issues by the court could be crucial in deciding whether Democrat Gore or Republican Bush emerges as the winner of the presidential election held on November 7.
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