Nicolas Cage met with a judge Tuesday to try to settle a lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend over money and a house she claims the Oscar-winner promised her.
Cage walked past ex-girlfriend Christina Fulton on his way into a conference with Superior Court Judge Teresa Sanchez-Gordon, who urged attorneys handling the case to try to reach a settlement before trial. He and his attorneys were in chambers for roughly 90 minutes before Fulton and her lawyers were called before the judge. The discussions will last until at least early afternoon.
The judge ruled Tuesday that Fulton couldn't sue Cage for breaching an oral contract to transfer ownership of the Los Angeles house to the former actress, saying the claim was barred by a statute of limitations. The issue of ownership of the house was one of Fulton's main claims against Cage, although she is still pursuing negligence claims against the actor that he and his former business manager ruined her finances by obtaining credit in her name.
The "Leaving Las Vegas" star has had his own share of financial woes, with tax liens and other debts forcing him to sell homes and other property.
The former actress sued Cage in December 2009 for $13 million, claiming he broke a promise to care for her and their adult son. Cage has denied wrongdoing and his attorneys have pointed out that he was paying $3 million per year to support Fulton and their 20-year-old son.
Fulton's attorney, K. Lee Crawford Boyd, said Cage promised to provide the home and support payments to her client so he could become a megastar.
"If Nicolas Cage had to step in and be a parent, he could not be Nicolas Cage," she told the judge.
Fulton has said she was coerced into signing financial agreements with Cage, claims the actor and his attorneys have denied. She also sought Tuesday to amend her lawsuit and add new claims against the actor, but Sanchez-Gordon rejected that effort.
The judge urged the parties to not treat the case as a rehash of a private paternity case they previously settled.