Nicollette Sheridan has been granted a new trial in her case for wrongful termination from Desperate Housewives.

The actress' initial legal battle against ABC, Touchstone and series creator Marc Cherry - who was excused from the suit mid-trial - ended in a split jury in March 2012, prompting the judge to declare a mistrial.

Nicollette - who alleged her character Edie Britt had been killed off after she complained to network executives that Cherry had hit her during an argument about a scene in 2008 - later had an appeal rejected, with the California Supreme Court ruling that the trial judge should have issued a directed verdict in favour of ABC because she wasn't actually fired but had not had her contract renewed. The court advised her to refile the suit on the basis the California Labor Code had been violated, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Stern rejected the petition, stating she should have filed within six months of the incident. However, Judge Stern has now ordered a new trial, though it is unclear why the decision has been made.

Touchstone lawyer Adam Levin told the Hollywood Reporter he would be appealing the new ruling. A status conference has been scheduled for April.