FLINT, MI -- Only a few court appearances remain for Flint water crisis defendants before the end of 2018, when a new attorney general takes office and the direction of the prosecutions could change.

Preliminary examinations for four current and former employees of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality resume Monday, Dec. 10, before Genesee District Court Judge Jennifer Manley.

Liane Shekter-Smith, Patrick Cook, Stephen Busch and Micheal Prysby face a variety of charges, all related to allegations of criminal wrongdoing during the water crisis.

Shekter-Smith, the only state government employee to lose her job for her actions during the water crisis, faces criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter, misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty.

Busch, an environmental supervisor, faces seven criminal charges, including involuntary manslaughter.

Prysby, an environmental engineer, is charged with two counts each of misconduct in office, tampering with evidence and violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Cook, a specialist for the DEQ’s Community Drinking Water Unit, is charged with willful neglect of duty, misconduct in office and conspiracy.

On Dec. 17, preliminary examinations for former Flint emergency manager Darnell Earley and former Flint Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft are scheduled to resume before Judge Nathaniel Perry in District Court.

Earley, the state-appointed financial manager in charge of Flint when the city’s water source was changed to the Flint River, and Croft, a defender of the quality and safety of Flint water, both face charges of involuntary manslaughter, false pretenses and conspiracy to commit false pretenses.

Earley also is charged with misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty.

Special Prosecutor Todd Flood told Perry in October that he expects to call at least 15 witnesses to prove the cases against Earley and Croft. He has accused Earley of having taken the steps to put Flint’s water treatment plant into service, using Flint River water, without the personnel or equipment needed.

Prosecutors claim Croft was shown physical evidence of how corrosive the water became within months of the switch but failed to act.

Another former emergency manager -- Gerald Ambrose -- is scheduled to appear for a status hearing in Genesee Circuit Court Dec. 18.

Almost a year ago, Ambrose waived his preliminary examination in District Court and his attorney and prosecutors have said they are working to reach a plea deal before his case advances further.

In four other plea deals related to the water crisis, state and city officials have agreed to testify in other prosecutions and received no jail time.

Ambrose is charged with false pretenses, conspiracy to commit false pretenses, willful neglect of duty and misconduct in office.

Flood has said he’s nearing the end of his case against Nancy Peeler and Robert Scott, officials at DHHS who worked on the issue of rising blood lead levels in Flint during the water crisis.

Preliminary examinations are scheduled to resume for the pair on Dec. 19 in Manley’s court.

Peeler is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy and willful neglect of duty.

Scott, a data manager for the DHHS' Healthy Homes and Lead Prevention Program, is accused of misconduct in office, conspiracy and willful neglect of duty.

The next court dates for DHHS Director Nick Lyon and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Eden Wells have not been scheduled.