The US bid to extradite the founder of internet file-sharing site Megaupload, was taking another step on Thursday as American representatives held talks with Kim Dotcom's lawyers.
Mr Dotcom and co-accused, Megaupload co-founder Mathias Ortmann, 40, Finn Batato, 38, both from Germany, and Dutch national Bram van der Kolk, 29, are on bail at separate addresses in Auckland.
They are accused of breaking international copyright laws, in one of the world's biggest internet piracy cases.
A phone conference was taking place on Thursday to finalise the next steps in the extradition bid.
Leading extradition lawyer Philip Morgan says authorities must prove the charges are covered in the extradition treaty or in other related laws in order to have the four accused sent to the United States.
He says there are grey areas that leave room for doubt about whether what is alleged is within a provision of New Zealand law.
The US formally lodged papers requesting the extradition in early March.
