This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The court process to outline the next steps in the criminal cases of former attorneys general Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow has been delayed until next year, new entries in state court records show.

A scheduling conference for both men which had been set for Wednesday was canceled during a Friday telephone conference with 3rd District Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills, the records show.

Swallow's hearing is now set for Jan. 13, 2105, and Shurtleff's for Feb. 12. Swallow and Shurtleff will appear before different judges — Andrew Stone and Randall Skanchy, respectively, according to the records.

The new hearing dates reflect the November decision by Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill and Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings to divide the prosecutions of the two former attorneys general.

Swallow and Shurtleff, both former Republican officeholders, were charged with nearly two dozen felonies and misdemeanors as co-defendants in July.

Prosecutors contend the men established a pay-to-play culture inside the Utah attorney general's office, which included taking bribes to ignore or protect big campaign donors whose business practices could land the donors in legal trouble.

Both men have denied any wrongdoing.

Shurtleff, 57, was Utah's attorney general for a dozen years. His onetime chief deputy, Swallow, 52, was handpicked to run as his successor in 2012. Swallow resigned from office after only 10 months amid multiple investigations of the allegations.

Gill filed an amended criminal information against Swallow last month, adding a new felony charge and removing Shurtleff as a co-defendant in that case.

On Friday, Rawlings amended the "caption" portion of the criminal information in Shurtleff's case, dropping Swallow as a co-defendant. That effectively separates the two cases, although Hruby-Mills must enter a court order to finalize the issue.

Rawlings, who has already dropped a racketeering charge brought against Shurtleff, is expected to file a new criminal information, although it's unclear how long that process might take.

The Davis County prosecutor declined to comment on the case Friday, as did Shurtleff's attorney Richard Van Wagoner.

A message left with Swallow's attorney, Stephen McCaughey was not returned.