ST. LOUIS – Lawyers for St. Louis City and Sheriff Alfred Montgomery took their arguments to a judge over whether a new ordinance can force the sheriff’s office to transport jail inmates.

A new board bill also added financial oversight to the sheriff’s office.

A court hearing Wednesday turned into what felt like a full-on trial, with witnesses taking the stand and heated arguments.

During a court recess, FOX 2 News attempted to get Sheriff Montgomery to answer what was at stake. He dodged questions, saying, “Guys, we’re doing a fire drill at this time, please wait for your questions and your videos please.”

The sheriff even returned to our camera during that fire drill to call us out for questioning him.

“Not ok,” he told us. “Right now, we’re doing a fire drill.”

Inside the courthouse, the sheriff’s office was fighting St. Louis’ new board bill requiring him to transport jail inmates.

Former Sheriff Vernon Betts testified.

Outside, he said, “In my administration, that’s exactly what we did, and that’s what we understood was our responsibility was to transport prisoners.”

Sheriff Montgomery’s lawyer contended that Betts neglected court security when Betts was in charge.

“That’s not true at all,” Betts said. “Because the hospital and the court team are two different teams.”

Deputy Commissioner of Corrections Tammy Ross also testified. She’s the one who was reportedly wrongfully detained by the Sheriff in a case being investigated by state and federal authorities. She said the current Sheriff’s resistance transporting inmates is a first in her 23 years on the job.

The sheriff’s lawyer, David Mason, made repeated arguments that transporting inmates would hurt court security and also negatively impact people who need orders of protection served. A judge is taking the case under advisement.

The sheriff’s office also questioned the credibility of Betts’ testimony, playing a YouTube video where Betts said he’d be a good one to take over as sheriff if Montgomery were removed.

“What is at stake here is whether or not, without the vote of the people, whether or not a rule is made that essentially reorganizes the balance of power between the city government and the county officials that are independently elected,” Mason said outside court. “The bottom line is simply this, if the Board of Alderman has the power to issue an ordinance that puts an elected official on probation, that tells an elected official we need receipts and everything to check your spending and adds to that elected official burdens of duties that keeps the elected official from doing their primary duties, that is not good legal precedence.”

Judge Joan Moriarty said she would review this case and make a decision in the coming days.

In a completely different matter, the sheriff’s office also just found out it’s been fined $1,000 for failing to disclose a campaign contribution. The Missouri Ethics Commission, in its action, said the sheriff’s office can pay just 10% of that fine if it’s paid immediately.