The Simon Artz “Oz leaks” case returned to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this morning but rumoured fireworks mooted in the lead-up — that News Limited lawyers would try to have the proceedings moved in camera to protect its star associate editor Cameron Stewart — failed to eventuate.

Subpoenas were returned by the court on behalf of Artz before Magistrate Peter Mealy during the 90-minute long session — which started half an hour earlier than the scheduled start time — and was taken up by preliminary argument over subpoenaed documents before the committal hearing’s start date of July 11.

Artz is facing eight charges relating to his alleged leaks to Stewart informing his Quill-winning front-page scoop on the Australian Federal Police’s Operation Neath Somali terror raids in August 2009. The yarn hit the streets well before the raid had commenced, sparking outrage from Victoria Police and allegations that News had stitched up an unfair deal with the Australian Federal Police. Two inquiries followed — one by the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and another by the Victorian Office of Police Integrity.

Artz’ legal team has subpoenaed a truckload of documents from the complex web of tangled government and police oversight bodies attached to the case, including ACLEI, AFP, Victoria Police and the OPI.

Nationwide News, publisher of The Australian, is currently not a party to the proceedings and appears to be taking a wait and see approach. However News Limited legal gun for hire Justin Quill did attend, sitting quietly in the public gallery one row in front of OPI director Michael Strong.

At one point, News addressed Magistrate Mealy requesting to be kept informed if certain documents came to light which they would prefer not be aired in public.

Of chief concern is the OPI’s draft parliamentary report into the saga which is still the subject of a Federal Court suppression order barring its release.

Other documents, including a “deed of release” in which Artz apparently granted permission for Stewart to waive the usual journalistic protocols and name him as a source, and the OPI’s brief of evidence against Artz are expected to inevitably become public when the committal hearing kicks off next month.

Both the OPI and Artz have drafted in the big guns for the hearing, with Nick Papas SC prosecuting on behalf of the OPI and Theo Kassimatis appearing for the former Victoria Police officer. (Kassimatis’ senior, Bill Stuart, was not in court).

At one point the OPI wheeled in a heaving trolley of internal documents, divided into those it was happy to release to the court and others it would prefer kept secret. Argument on the release of the disputed boxes will continue tomorrow.

ACLEI is expected to run a straight forward legal argument under section 211 of its governing Act, stating is isn’t compelled to produce documents whereas counsel for the AFP has suggested the subpoenas are too wide for them to adequately respond.

Another party to the case, Victoria Police, did not attend the court and seems content for its documents to be turned over if it sees fit.

Under the OPI’s protected documents regime the hearing could end up transpiring away from the public eye, with or without News Limited’s intervention. Crikey understands that either a confidential affidavit, a closed court or an ex-parte hearing could result if Artz’s team decide to push their luck to further pry open the oversight body’s filing cabinets.

The case continues.