A lawsuit filed by the Missouri Council of the Blind and seven blind people claimed the state used millions of dollars from the Blind Pension Fund to pay for unauthorized, unrelated expenses. The Missouri Court of Appeals ruling on Tuesday sends the case back to Cole County Circuit Court to consider back benefits that are owed to blind people.

An estimated 70 percent of blind Missourians are unemployed. If they don't get any other aid, they get a monthly pension of $609 from the state. An attorney for the council believes they should be getting about $1,000 per month.

A reporter's telephone message left with the Missouri Department of Social Services, seeking a comment on the ruling, was not returned.