Bendigo councillor Julie Hoskin must wait until March to learn if she can hold on to the family home seized and sold at auction by the sheriff.
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Ms Hoskin was in the Supreme Court of Victoria yesterday when Justice Michelle Quigley ordered the case go to trial on March 6.
It is expected the trial will last four days.
The civil case will examine what responsilbities the sheriff has to a debtor when obtaining a valuation and setting a reserve price.
Ms Hoskin's lawyers have argued the auction should never have occurred because their client was close to obtaining finance at the time of the auction.
The loan would have covered her debt of almost $400,000, which stems from a family law matter 10 years ago.
Ms Hoskin also alleges the sheriff's valuation of the property was dramatically lower than its actual value.
The Kennington house in question has belonged to Ms Hoskin for 30 years but was sold at auction by the sheriff on November 23.
In December, Ms Hoskin was successful in her bid for an interim injuction against the registration of sale. That injuction was yesterday extended until after the March trial.
Yesterday's hearing took place after Ms Hoskin fulfilled the court's demands she post a $50,000 surety, proof she could afford any legal fees she might be ordered to pay.
Ms Hoskin must now pay a setting down fee of about $1200 for her case to be heard.