The U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals has temporarily halted the desertion case against Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who walked off an outpost in Afghanistan in 2009, while it considers a dispute between the sides about how to handle classified information.

Prosecutors had asked for the delay so the appeals court could consider the dispute, and the request was granted Tuesday.

Bergdahl’s defense attorney, Eugene Fidell, says the prosecutors’ request was granted without giving the defense a chance to respond.

Bergdahl faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, a relatively rare charge that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Prosecutors say in a motion that the military judge overseeing the case issued an order on classified information that didn’t fully address one of their concerns.

(AP)