A panel of judges in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal will deliver their ruling on Thursday after Dawson's lawyers earlier argued that the guilty verdict against him was unreasonable.
The ex-teacher was convicted in August 2022 of murdering his wife, Lynette Dawson, in 1982 and disposing of her body so he could pursue a relationship with a teenage girl who was one of his students.
He will first be eligible for parole in August 2040, at the age of 92, after being sentenced to 24 years in jail for the murder.
Chris Dawson was convicted of murdering his wife Lynette in 1982 and disposing of her body. (HANDOUT/NSW POLICE)
Dawson's barrister Belinda Rigg SC told the appeal court in May there was not enough evidence to show beyond reasonable doubt that Dawson murdered his wife.
Ms Rigg argued there was a possibility Ms Dawson had left her home and family in Sydney's northern beaches to start a new life in the aftermath of her husband's infidelity with the teen student.
She said in finding the 75-year-old guilty, Supreme Court Justice Ian Harrison had wrongfully used Dawson's lies about his wife and her whereabouts as demonstrating consciousness of guilt.Â
Dawson claimed to have received a phone call from his wife on January 9, 1982, telling him she wanted time alone to think things over.
At the time, Dawson had engaged in an affair with his student, who can legally only be referred to as JC, sending her love letters and sleeping with her in his family home.
Justice Harrison found Dawson lied about the call and that by the time he said it took place Ms Dawson was already dead.
During the appeal hearings, crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC acknowledged Justice Harrison's reasoning had its issues, particularly regarding Dawson's lies.
"We can't get away from the fact that the language (of the judgment) is problematic," he said.
But Mr Hatfield argued the finding of guilt should still follow from Dawson having lied about speaking to his wife.
"Once you've found beyond reasonable doubt that he's lying about the call on that day ... there was only one outcome that could follow," Mr Hatfield said.
He added claims by Dawson about her whereabouts, including her being at a Blue Mountains commune and in New Zealand, were designed to be "vague, unverifiable and unlikely to attract suspicion in his direction".
Dawson's version of events - in which his wife completely abandoned her home, children, family and friends because of his infidelity - was glaringly improbable, the prosecutor added.
If he is successful on his appeal, he could either be acquitted or face a retrial.
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