Two former Butler County commissioners are once more crossing legal swords in court.

The retrial for the defamation case against former Commissioner Jim Eckstein has been set to start no later than Sept. 14.

Jury selection begins Sept. 12. If a jury is selected by the morning of Sept. 13, the trial will start that day before presiding Judge Kelley Streib.

Former Commissioner Dale Pinkerton is one of three plaintiffs suing Eckstein for defamation and being placed in a false light.

Attorney Doug Linn, who represent Pinkerton, said there wouldn’t be a different game plan in presenting his case against Eckstein.

“We’re going to do our best,” Linn said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Eckstein is accused of spreading a rumor that Pinkerton gave county human resources director Lori Altman an extra 20 percent pay hike in 2011 in exchange for getting out of a drunken driving pullover.

Altman’s husband is state Trooper Scott Altman.

The Altmans are suing Eckstein in a separate lawsuit that is being tried simultaneously.

Only Pinkerton is suing Eckstein for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The previous trial ended in a mistrial April 29 after eight days of testimony and arguments.