Hours of confidential talks have failed to reach a settlement in the defamation action being taken by Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney over comments that he was the prime suspect in his wife's death.

Mr Rayney is suing the State of WA over the comments made by a senior detective in the weeks after the body of Corryn Rayney was found buried in Kings Park in August 2007.

Mr Rayney has always denied any involvement in his wife's death.

In 2012 he stood trial for her murder and was found not guilty.

Since then he has been acquitted of a charge of unlawfully intercepting the telephone at the family's home and has fought off attempts by the legal profession to stop him practising again as a lawyer.

The defamation action is scheduled for a six-week judge alone trial in February next year but today a confidential mediation hearing was held between Mr Rayney, his lawyer Martin Bennett and lawyers for the State of WA to try to reach a settlement.

The talks lasted for four hours but Mr Bennett said there was "no resolution" in the case and formal mediation had now been "terminated".

Mr Rayney's only comment was that he was "looking forward to the trial".