A court hearing for a charge brought against Albert Lea businessman Mal Prinzing for violating election laws has been rescheduled for Feb. 18.

Steele County Court Judge Joe Bueltel will preside, since two local judges in Freeborn County have refused.

Judge Bueltel has also been presiding in a civil case filed by Prinzing against former Sen. Grace Schwab.

Both civil and criminal cases are to do with signs placed by Prinzing during the school referendum campaign in 2001 and general election last year.

While Prinzing has sued Schwab right before the election for damaging the signs in 2001, Schwab contends the signs placed during election time calling Schwab a thief are libel. Subsequently, County Attorney Craig Nelson charged Prinzing and his business, Di Ma Corporation, with election law violations.

The hearing process for the civil case has been stalled after Prinzing failed to appear for a deposition to Schwab’s attorney Fritz Knaak.

Judge Bueltel is likely to process the criminal case first, in which the arguments for the civil litigation may be included.