State Attorney General Troy King has filed a motion to join the liquor lawsuit against the town of Cedar Bluff.

Circuit Judge David Rains has not ruled on the motion, which was filed a couple of weeks ago, but King likely will take up the fight.

Because the lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the town’s vote to allow liquor sales, the attorney general is expected to take the lead in the case, said Eric Johnston, who represents Geral Green, the plaintiff in the case.

“The attorney general has the right to be involved in any lawsuit that involves a constitutional issue,” Johnston said.

The attorney general was notified of the case when it was originally filed, “but it wasn’t much on the radar then,” Johnston said.

Since Cedar Bluff passed the law to allow liquor sales in an otherwise dry county, three other towns have passed similar laws,” Johnston said.

That may explain why King is joining the legal battle, Johnston said.

Joy Patterson, spokesman for the attorney general, said King did not have a comment at this time.

The challenge to liquor sales in Cedar Bluff hinges on whether the vote in 2003 was constitutional. The state Legislature passed a bill allowing Cedar Bluff to hold the election, but an earlier law stipulated that towns in otherwise dry counties must have a population of 7,000, which Cedar Bluff does not