EIGHTEEN months after the Essendon supplements scandal became public, a trial will begin in the Federal Court on Monday morning.
The football club and its suspended coach James Hird are claiming the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority acted unlawfully by conducting a joint investigation with the AFL.
Opening submissions are expected to last about two hours with a live television feed made available by the ABC.
The case will then proceed to the evidence phase, where a number of high-profile witnesses are likely to be called.
The club launched the court action after ASADA issued show-cause notices to 34 past and present Essendon players.
The legal proceedings have so far put any further developments in the investigation on hold but ASADA could still choose to proceed, regardless of the outcome of the trial.
While the case hinges on one critical legal question, there is the real possibility of further revelations about the machinations of all parties involved in the long-running saga.
The trial, before Justice John Middleton, is expected to run for three days.
Justice Middleton will then consider his verdict, which could take several weeks.
