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Denise Richards made her first appearance in court on Monday, Sept. 8, as part of her ongoing and highly publicized divorce from Aaron Phypers. While the hearing for her restraining order request was postponed until next month, Richards was granted temporary relief allowing her to access the couple’s shared home.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, a judge ruled on Sept. 13 that Richards could return to one of their residences “to retrieve her mother’s and her own personal property, including the dogs.” Meanwhile, Phypers has been ordered to stay 100 yards away from the property, per the temporary restraining order issued in July.
The filing also mandates that Phypers must “take no action which would interfere with Ms. Richards access.”
In addition, Phypers has been ordered to return Richards’ laptop and an old cell phone, which she claimed he took in violation of the restraining order. He must return the devices by the end of day on Sept. 9. Phypers, however, has “previously denied being in possession of the items.”
The postponement of the restraining order hearing was initially requested by Phypers, but Richards’ legal team opposed further delays. In a court filing, they argued that “any further continuance will prejudice Denise and cause further distress to Denise by not allowing her finality to her Request For Domestic Violence Restraining Order.”
The couple, who were married in 2018, have both made serious allegations since the divorce proceedings began. Phypers listed their date of separation as July 4 and cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split.
Just days after the initial filing, Richards accused Phypers of domestic violence, alleging that he “repeatedly abused” her during their relationship. A judge granted her a temporary restraining order in response.
Phypers has categorically denied those claims. In a previous statement, he called the allegations “completely false and deeply hurtful.”
In July, Richards further alleged that Phypers violated the restraining order and renewed her request that he return her laptop. She also sought to prevent him from sharing any private information stored on the device—an allegation Phypers again denied.
The legal battle took another turn last week when Richards filed a response to Phypers’ divorce petition. She requested spousal support, asked the court to terminate its ability to award him support, and petitioned for him to cover her legal fees. She also stated that “the full nature and extent” of her “separate property assets and debts are unknown at this time,” as are their community assets.
Interestingly, while Phypers cited July 4 as the official date of separation, Richards listed it as “TBD.”
In a new statement, Phypers lashed out at Richards, saying: “Denise Richards is attempting to humiliate me again, just as she did with her first ex, Charlie Sheen, six years ago today!”
“It is the same vengeance playbook as Charlie said, ‘D and her legal posse only deal in fiction. My day in court is painfully overdue. She is behaving like a coward, and the truth will prevail,’” he continued. “I, too, will be vindicated when the truth comes out, just as Charlie promised. Our family has been ruined by Denise’s lies of promising to end a year-long affair.”
As both parties continue to trade accusations, the next court appearance is expected to provide more clarity in what has become a very public and painful separation.