The remaining four defendants facing charges after the 2007 police raids in Te Urewera are to face trial by jury.
The lawyer for activist Tame Iti, Russell Fairbrother, says he received word on Wednesday that the trial will not be in front of a judge alone, but before a jury.
On 12 September, the Crown formally dropped charges under the Arms Act against 13 of those arrested in the 2007 police raids after it was found there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
Four others, including Mr Iti, are still charged with firearms offences and with being part of an organised criminal group.
Mr Fairbrother says it is not clear when the trial will be held, but it is expected to be before February.
He says as far as Mr Iti is concerned, the sooner the trial can be held the better.
