The House could get a ruling before the August recess on whether White House officials must testify about the U.S. attorney firings.

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates on Friday scheduled a hearing on motions in the case for June 23, after which he could rule on whether former White House counsel Harriet Miers must testify before Congress and whether the White House must produce documents in the case.

The House, worried that it might not get a ruling before Bush leaves office, wanted to speed up the case. The Bush administration says there’s no need to rush.

The House had said the final motion before the next hearing should be filed by May 14. The administration suggested a deadline of July 2.

Bates essentially split the difference setting the deadline at June 12, and scheduling a hearing on the motions for June 23, after which he could rule. But Bush administration officials have noted that whoever loses will likely appeal, further delaying the case.

Miers, under orders from the White House, refused to appear before the committee to answer questions about the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. Bolten refused to provide records. Bush administration officials say they can refuse the requests on the grounds of executive privilege.

Both were cited for contempt in a House vote last month. Republicans walked out of the chamber.

House leaders asked the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to convene a grand jury to investigate the contempt charges, but Attorney General Michael Mukasey instructed him not to do so, prompting the House to file suit March 10. The lawsuit asks that a federal judge declare that Miers is not immune from having to testify before Congress, require the administration to list all the documents it considers to be privileged and order the White House to produce all documents that are not properly considered privileged.