Nicollette Sheridan-'Desperate Housewives' Saga Paused

Nicollette Sheridan's civil case against her old bosses is as over as "Desperate Housewives."

The California Court of Appeals recently reviewed Sheridan's previous wrongful dismissal trial that ended a declared mistrial March 19, Deadline reports. Friday, the court announced that "it is further ordered that the retrial currently set for September 10 is hereby stayed pending further order of the court.."

Defendants Touchstone Television Productions and ABC Studios had made the argument that under California law, declining to renew a contract is not "wrongful dismissal." Sheridan previously argued that she was unceremoniously off the ABC prime time drama following a 2008 rehearsal spat with creator Marc Cherry during which Sheridan claims Cherry struck her. Cherry was dismissed as a defendant when the jury was ordered to disregard Sheridan's assault claim. The jury ended the trial at an 8-4 deadlock, with eight jurors favoring Sheridan and one more vote needed for a decisive verdict.

The defendants had argued that Sheridan's character being written out of the show had been planned, and that she'd been a difficult employee for some time before the rehearsal incident.

Reportedly, Sheridan attorney mark Baute plans on pursuing a case examination for Occupational Safety and Health Administration labor code violations. Baute also plans on soon filing briefs to more fully lay out the wrongful termination claim. "The temporary stay is designed to clarify and resolve those issues before the Septemer trial starts," Baute said.

Meanwhile, the parties have an Aug. 9 date before Judge Elizabeth Allen White to make cases for or against a retrial.