The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has issued a ruling that opens the road for an Alabama class action lawsuit over traffic cameras that catch drivers running red lights.

The opinion addresses only which court will hear the case on a removal issue, but it shows what a litigation snarl cities can get into when they hire private companies to rev up their traffic ticket cash flow.

Similar lawsuits are moving through federal and state courts in Florida as ticketed motorists challenge the company-driven ticketing program.