SPOKANE — A ruling by a Spokane Superior Court judge has put a dent on the city of Spokane’s practice of using electronic officer signatures on infractions incurred from red light cameras.

Friday’s ruling by Superior Court Judge Jerome Leveque overturns a previous decision by a municipal court that found no legal problem with the method used by the Spokane Police Department. Currently, an electronic signature is used by the Arizona-based private company that sends out the infractions.

The Spokesman-Review reports that city officials declined comment Friday because they had not reviewed the ruling.

Opponents of the camera argued that state law requires that any signature signed under the penalty of perjury must be signed in the state.

Infractions from the eight cameras in use generate about $500,000 annually. Usually the infractions are for people who run a red light or don’t come to a full stop while making a right turn on a red light.