The case against Chief Constable Hugh Orde, who is being taken to court by 150 officers desperate to quit Northern Ireland's Police Service, was today adjourned for three weeks.
Papers have been lodged at the High Court in Belfast by long-serving men and women up to the rank of superintendent attempting to halt current severance arrangements.
The officers, who have been denied access to lucrative pay-offs because they are too young, claim the system has discriminated against them.
Hundreds of eligible officers have accepted voluntary retirement packages worth £135,000 sterling plus £1,100 a month to constables alone.
The system, based on a combination of age plus length of service, was set up under the Patten reform proposals for slashing the size of Northern Ireland's force from 13,000 to 7,500 full-time officers.
Many seeking to leave failed to qualify for the scheme, even though they have served for longer than some getting out. Some of those barred from quitting have served for nearly 30 years.
The officers, known as the Age Discrimination Group, decided to seek leave to apply for a judicial review of the rules after Mr Orde declared that the eligibility criteria will remain.
The case was adjourned until November 21st.
PA