Twitter Inc. and Elon Musk continue to jockey for preliminary legal advantage ahead of a trial on their soured $44 billion marriage, as the presiding judge has signaled she wants to keep the case focused on the contractual agreement between the two sides.

With an Oct. 17 trial date in Delaware court approaching, both sides’ legal teams are building their cases through expert reports and sworn testimony. Twitter’s co-founder and former Chief Executive Jack Dorsey and Jared Birchall, head of Musk’s family office, were scheduled to be interviewed by lawyers last week. Twitter’s lawyers had proposed deposing Musk beginning Monday, but his interview was pushed back while the lawyers hash out their plans, according to people familiar with the situation.