A LAST minute attempt was made to stave off yesterday's hearing by barrister Jerome Matthews.
He sought an adjournment while an appeal was held into whether Mr Ford could be granted Legal Aid.
He also told the court he was troubled by a letter sent to the Director of Legal Aid by solicitor Mark Side, who is acting for CLP and CAPCO.
The letter alleged that Mr Ford had been carrying out legal work in England despite claiming to the Legal Aid Department that he was unemployed and had no income.
Mr Matthews, a former colleague of Mr Ford who was lending his services free, described this charge as false and a grave accusation. He said Mr Side had mixed up his client with another Michael Ford, who was practising in London.
''These matters need to be investigated. I need to take full instruction on this,'' he said.
Mr Matthews also drew attention to an allegation that Mr Justice Sears had at an earlier hearing said that Mr Ford appeared to have no defence to the accusations against him.