David Bain's retrial has been delayed in order to accommodate a hearing to decide whether the five murder charges against him will be dropped.
Mr Bain's defence team appeared before the Privy Council in London this week to ask for an acquittal based on new forensic evidence.
The council declined but said the New Zealand courts should consider the new evidence before the scheduled retrial.
That hearing will take place in February in the High Court in Christchurch, and Mr Bain's retrial has subsequently been put back until March. It is estimated to take 12 weeks.
Mr Bain was released on bail in May 2007 after serving 13 years in prison for the murders of five members of his family. His convictions were set aside by the Privy Council.