A panel of three federal judges is set to hear closing arguments in a civil suit brought by Republican voters who claim the state's new legislative maps were drawn up to give Democrats a better chance of winning seats in the state Legislature.

The Republican conspiracy theory that accuses Democrats of rigging the state’s legislative district map during the most recent redistricting cycle now includes the alleged involvement of Richard Miranda, a former Arizona lawmaker who is currently serving time in prison for unrelated crimes.

Last-minute filings in a federal lawsuit brought by Republicans who claim new legislative maps were illegally drawn to benefit Democrats show GOP lawyers claim to have new evidence to back up their case.

The state’s redistricting commission will run out of money before legal fees accrued in multiple lawsuits can be paid, the commission’s staff said Thursday. The commission’s director has begun negotiating with the Legislature over another supplemental appropriation.

With less than two weeks before the start of the trial over whether a Democratic conspiracy rigged Arizona’s legislative map, attorneys representing each side are engaged in an 11th-hour fight over what testimony will be included and what evidence each side will get to introduce.

A series of court rulings issued late last week in two lawsuits against the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission further pave the path for Republican litigants who hope to prove the commission illegally created maps to favor Democrats.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill to give the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission an additional $500,000 to continue its ongoing legal battles.

Arizona's recent redrawing of its congressional and legislative districts is racking up big legal bills for state government. That's largely because of lawsuits challenging the redistricting commission's politically charged work.

While the actual mapping was done in 2011, this past year proved that the fight over redistricting takes many forms, with Arizona’s struggles over political boundaries shifting from the drawing room to the courtroom.

As 2012 comes to a close, some Arizona politicos have reached new heights of prominence and power. Others saw once-promising careers hit the wall.

Jeff Flake and Kyrsten Sinema gained influence and stature in the nation’s capital, while Andy Biggs reached the pinnacle of power in the Arizona Senate.

Meanwhile, former Senate President Russell Pearce and his successor, Sen. Steve Pierce, fell from grace, while a slew of Republican candidates once again failed in their bids to reach the halls of Congress.