Chicago’s largest police union is asking the state Supreme Court to weigh an appeal of a lower court ruling that requires public hearings for officers accused of egregious misconduct.

The Fraternal Order of Police argued that an appellate court panel “erroneously concluded” that well-defined policy requires public arbitration hearings in the most serious disciplinary cases, according to a court filing last week.

The yearslong battle over the handling of such cases has wound its way from the union bargaining table to the City Council floor and now to all levels of the state’s court system.

Cook County Judge Michael Mullen ruled in March that officers could bypass the Chicago Police Board and have their cases heard by an arbitrator, but that those hearings couldn’t be held in private.

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