A case challenging how the Office of Cannabis Management handled social equity license applications moves next to the state Co­­urt of Appeals. The court on Wednesday directed the state

The lottery’s postponement, however long it may be, delays the start of plant cultivation. That could lead to less supply for retailers when the market opens next year.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Ramsey County judge on Monday halted a planned lottery to award the first cannabis licenses on Tuesday, a setback for state regulators as they ramp up towards legal sales next year.

By Dana Ferguson A planned lottery to give some would-be cannabis business owners a licensing head start won’t go forward early this week after a judge halted the process Monday. Ramsey County District Court Judge Stephen Smith sided with a group of applicants who had been denied access to the social equity pre-approval lottery.

A judge has ordered Minnesota to pause its cannabis license lottery amid lawsuits brought by applicants who were denied a chance at a license.

A Ramsey County judge’s decision to delay the lottery could affect the launch of Minnesota’s retail marijuana market.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals is asking state regulators for more information about how they determined eligibility for the state’s first cannabis license lottery. Several social equity applicants hoping to get one of the preapproval licenses sued after the Office of Cannabis Management denied their applications.

The judicial process will dictate whether a lottery can be rescheduled to determine who is preapproved to run cannabis businesses once the legal market launches and how that might occur.