A man charged with the murder of two men at a first birthday party is withdrawing from drugs, his lawyer has told a court.

Joel Fitzgerald, 30, is charged over the deaths of the men, aged 23 and 54, at a home in Melbourne's southeast on January 16.

Police were called to reports of an altercation at Clyde North home and found the pair with stab wounds to their upper bodies, Victoria Police said.

Dieter and Karl Gruber, both from Seaford and reportedly father and son, received medical treatment but died at the home.

At the time, Superintendent Janet Stevenson said about 20 people were attending the first birthday party when an argument started, turned into a brawl and spilled out into the street.

Fitzgerald, who has no fixed address, was arrested in Doveton on Tuesday.

During a brief h

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