The new attorney appointed to prosecute Karen Read made his courtroom debut in a decidedly swift motions hearing Wednesday in which both sides argued a medley of trial-prep issues. It was the first time the case has met at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham since defense attorneys argued in August that two of the three charges against Read — including the charge of second-degree murder — should be dropped in the trial taking place next year.

Among the pending motions is a joint request from prosecutors and the defense to push the retrial back to April.