D.A.: Hubbard's trial likely to start in 2012 [Corrected]

LOS ANGELES — Newport-Mesa Unified Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard's criminal trial on three felony counts of misappropriating funds will likely begin early next year, prosecutors said Thursday.

Hubbard, 54, appeared in court early Thursday morning for scheduling, and is set to appear in court again Dec. 12 for pretrial motions.

Prosecutors allege that Hubbard, during his time as the Beverly Hills Unified School District superintendent, gave unauthorized bonuses to that district's former facilities director, Karen Anne Christiansen, and a pay raise to Nora Roque, another Beverly Hills Unified employee.

Roque now works as director of classified personnel at Newport-Mesa Unified.

The trial for Christiansen, 53, is currently underway in a Los Angeles courtroom. She is charged with six counts of conflict of interest stemming from allegations that she negotiated contracts with an energy firm for the district and her own company.

Prosecutors also contend that Christiansen was steering a management contract toward her own company, which the Beverly Hills school district ultimately partnered with on a building campaign.

lauren.williams@latimes.com

Twitter: @lawilliams30