A handwriting expert will be called on to testify Clive Palmer's signature on a guarantee with a Singapore-based exploration firm is genuine because the businessman claims he can't remember signing it.
BGP Geoexplorer is pursuing Mr Palmer's flagship company Mineralogy in the Brisbane Supreme Court for about $22 million in unpaid invoices, with the matter expected to go to trial in early 2017.
BGP's lawyer Tom Pincus told the court on Wednesday that several eyewitnesses would say Mr Palmer signed the guarantee and an expert would testify the signature is genuine.
The court heard Mr Palmer denies signing the document and BGP has found it difficult to serve him with legal papers because his address in the case file is listed as Mineralogy's office.
Mr Pincus said Mr Palmer was only served by chance a week ago after he was found sitting in a cafe.
"It's impossible to serve him," Mr Pincus said.
Mineralogy argues it is not obliged to pay BGP Geoexplorer any money for survey work it carried out in the Gulf of Papua on behalf of Palmer Petroleum in 2010.
AAP