The legal challenge by a journalist, Ed Moloney, to a judge's ruling that he must hand over interview notes about the murder of the solicitor, Mr Pat Finucane, is to be heard next Thursday.
The date was fixed in the High court in Belfast yesterday when Mr Justice Kerr said he would also sit on Monday to deal with Mr Moloney's application for access to statements made to police by Mr William Stobie, who is charged with Mr Finucane's murder in 1989.
Mr Moloney, Northern editor of the Sunday Tribune, is refusing to hand over the notes of his interview with Mr Stobie on the grounds that to do so would jeopardise his career and be a breach of journalistic ethics.
His lawyer, Mr Michael Lavery QC, told the court the police were vigorously resisting attempts to get access to statements Mr Stobie made to them.
"These statements have now been furnished to Stobie's solicitors and we submit we are entitled to them under the general basis of discovery," said Mr Lavery.
Referring to Mr Stobie's confession that he had been a police informer, Mr Lavery said: "These documents would show beyond any shadow of doubt that the police have all the information they need or could possibly want as Stobie was freely talking to his handlers in 1990."
The judge granted an extension until Monday of the order by Belfast Recorder Judge Hart that Mr Moloney must hand over his notes or face a fine or imprisonment.