Appeals court rules for Burton

A lawsuit filed by Tim Burton’s ex-girlfriend over his assets should be dismissed, an appeals court has ruled.

The California Court of Appeals issued a ruling this week ordering a lower court judge to grant a motion by Burton’s attorneys for a summary judgment.

The move halts a trial scheduled for next week that would have focused on the couple’s nearly decade-long relationship, which ended in 2001.

Burton’s longtime girlfriend, Lisa Marie, sued the director in 2006. She claimed that she was cheated out of money that Burton had promised her during their relationship.

Lara Ott, an attorney representing Marie, said that she plans to appeal the ruling.