Corey John Lyons, the suspect in a Santa Barbara double homicide, will appear before a jury on April 6, 2010.

Lyons was in court Tuesday when the decision was rendered by Judge Brian Hill.

Lyons’ attorney, Robert Sanger, entered a plea of not guilty for Lyons in early August, and in July, Judge Hill ruled that enough evidence exists in the case to process to trial.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Gordon Auchincloss said Tuesday that Lyons waved his right to a speedy trial until April and that Tuesday’s appearance was a continuation of the case’s readiness and settlement process, in which both parties meet before the judge to discuss the merits of the case and the possibility of settlement.

Settlements are always possible, even in murder cases, he said, but Lyons’ case will proceed to trial next year.

Lyons is accused of murdering his brother, attorney Daniel Patrick Lyons, 55, and his sister-in-law, attorney Barbara Lorene Scharton, 48, in their Aurora Avenue home on May 4.

Police believe that the motive for their shooting deaths stems from a lawsuit over the construction of the couple’s home in the Mesa area. Corey Lyons was involved in the construction, which is said to have cost three times more than the original estimate.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com.