CHICAGO (AP) – Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s eligibility for the March 15 primary ballot in Illinois is under consideration in a Chicago courtroom.

The hearing Tuesday afternoon is to consider a lawsuit filed by pharmacist and lawyer Lawrence Joyce in Cook County Circuit Court. He claims Cruz isn’t eligible to be president because he was born in Canada.

Cruz and some legal experts say he is eligible because his mother was a U.S. citizen when he was born.

Joyce has said he filed suit because he fears if the Texas senator becomes the GOP nominee, Democrats will get him kicked off the ballot in some states or Cruz will be forced to drop out, and establishment Republicans will replace him.

Joyce says he’s backing Ben Carson but is acting on his own.