A Vatican tribunal has rejected pretrial motions by the defense in a landmark financial-misconduct case, and ruled that the trial of ten defendants will proceed.

Defense lawyers had argued that their clients were being denied a fair process, because prosecutors have withheld key evidence. The tribunal rejected those claims, ending a series of pre-trial skirmishes that had begun last July, and set March 17 as the opening date for the trial itself.

Lawyers for Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the key defendant in the trial, said that they welcomed the opportunity to show “irrefutable” evidence that the cardinal is innocent of all charges.