Next court date set in ex-Modesto teacher's sex case

MODESTO -- Another pretrial hearing was set Thursday morning in Stanislaus County Superior Court for James Hooker, the former high school teacher accused of having sex with an underage student 14 years ago.

The ex-Enochs High business instructor gained national attention in February after leaving his family to move in with an 18-year-old Enochs student.

He faces a charge of oral copulation with a 17-year-old student in 1998 and remains free after posting $50,000 bail.

A pretrial date for his attorney to collect further discovery in the case was set for Sept. 17, in preparation for his preliminary hearing Oct. 2.

Hooker was not required to appear in court Thursday; his attorney, Mary Lynn Belsher, appeared on his behalf.