Greens MP Tammy Franks is on trial on tax charges after she failed to have the proceedings abandoned on a technicality.

The upper house member of the South Australian Parliament is charged with 10 counts of failing to lodge returns between 2001 and 2010.

She sought to have her trial in Adelaide Magistrates Court permanently stayed, arguing the infringement notice served on her failed to correctly detail she would be facing more than one charge.

That application was dismissed and the trial proceeded.

It heard evidence from a case management officer from the Tax Office who handled the matter.

Maryse Bhujoharry told the court she asked Franks why she had not filed the returns and Franks twice remained silent.

She said she warned Franks her returns for the years between 1994 and 2000 were outstanding as well, but those returns were not the focus of her investigation.

Franks told the court she knew her tax affairs were out of order for some time and had made attempts to rectify them.

But she said it was a bureaucratic nightmare getting the documents she needed to file the returns because she had been employed by a number of organisations in the 10-year period.

Franks will continue her evidence when the trial resumes in August.