Former U.S. senator and Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards has returned to a North Carolina courtroom to help represent a 4-year-old Virginia boy in a medical malpractice case.

Edwards is one of three attorneys representing the parents and guardians of a boy with brain damage and physical injuries they say occurred in December 2009.

In 2012, Edwards faced six felony charges in a case involving nearly $1 million provided by two wealthy political donors to help hide his pregnant mistress Rielle Hunter as he sought the White House in 2008.

A jury acquitted Edwards on one count of accepting illegal campaign contributions and deadlocked on the remaining five.

Edwards was a North Carolina senator from 1999 to 2005.

In 2004, he was the Democratic Party's candidate for vice president.

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