CHICAGO -- Singer R. Kelly appeared in court Wednesday morning in Chicago for a status hearing.
Earlier this month, Kelly pleaded not guilty to nearly a dozen new counts of sex-related felonies. The new charges include four aggravated criminal sexual assault charges.
Each charge carries a maximum prison term of 30 years.
RELATED: R. Kelly pleads not guilty to new sexual assault charges
In court Wednesday, the judge said he wants to start getting motions filed by August 15 and anticipates the trial getting started early next year.
Back in February, Kelly pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving three girls and one woman.
Kelly's lawyer Steve Greenberg said the accuser in the new charges is one of the four woman from the previous case.
"It's the same case, it's just they changed what they charged him with," Greenberg said. "It's the same facts."
RELATED: TIMELINE: History of R. Kelly sex abuse allegations
The court hearing comes as Kelly faces a deadline to formally respond to a lawsuit filed by women alleging he sexually assaulted them. Attorneys for Kelly want to put a hold on the lawsuit pending the result of the criminal charges.
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