A Woodstock judge is close to citing a lawyer for contempt of court after further delays in the murder trial of John Douglas Robinson.

Robinson is charged with first-degree murder and indignity to a human body in connection with the 2008 death of 26-year-old Clifford Fair, whose remains were found in the backyard of a Woodstock home.

Defence lawyer Anik Morrow, who is representing Robinson, didn't appear in court as scheduled Monday. Reports say she instead flew to Quebec to deal with a family situation.

There have also been many other delays in the case, and now Judge Thomas Heeney wants all pre-trial motions filed by Feb. 15.

Heeney has called Morrow's behaviour unacceptable and says it verges on contempt of court.

While the charges against Robinson were initially dismissed due to insufficient evidence, that decision was overturned by the attorney general through a direct indictement.

That indictment will be argued in March and the trial is now expected to start at the end of April 2012 with jury selection.

The trial is expected to last about five weeks.