Report: Adrian Peterson's lawyer pushing for Dec. 1 court date

Adrian's Peterson lawyer, Rusty Hardin, is pushing for a Dec. 1 court date for Peterson's child abuse case, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. ESPN

Adrian's Peterson lawyer, Rusty Hardin, is pushing for a Dec. 1 court date for Peterson's child abuse case, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.

ESPN reported Tuesday that Peterson will plead not guilty to child abuse charges. Montgomery County first assistant DA Phil Grant told ESPN that nine to 12 months are typically required before a trial starts in similar cases. Florio notes that Peterson could potentially return for a Dec. 7 game against the Jets if acquitted.

Peterson was indicted last month after admitting to using a tree branch to discipline his four-year-old son. The Vikings placed Peterson on the Exempt/Commissioner's Permission list, meaning he cannot participate in team activities while legal proceedings are ongoing but will still be paid.

If convicted, Peterson's jail sentence could run as long as two years. Peterson may also face discipline from the NFL, which recently instituted a harsher domestic violence policy.

- Chris Johnson