AceShowbiz - A Los Angeles judge has ruled a lawyer who obtained a restraining order on behalf of Stan Lee does not officially represent the comic book legend.

Tom Lallas claimed to be working for the star last month, when he was granted a temporary elder abuse restraining order for Lee against his former business manager, Keya Morgan, following his arrest for reporting a false emergency, relating to an incident at the veteran Marvel mogul's California home in May.

The protective order expired on Friday, July 06, but during a court hearing, attorneys for Stan's daughter, J.C. Lee, argued that they were the proper legal representatives for the 95-year-old, not Lallas, according to The Associated Press.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Ruth Kleman ruled in their favour, and dismissed Lallas' order against Morgan.

The attorneys hired by J.C. Lee subsequently told reporters they had filed for their own restraining request to keep Morgan away from Stan, although it's not clear if that order has been granted.

The bizarre twist emerges days after Morgan's lawyer, Alex Kessel, entered not guilty pleas to the criminal charges on Monday, July 02.

After the hearing, he insisted 42-year-old Morgan had nothing to do with the abuse accusations.

"Mr. Morgan always had Mr. Lee's best interest at heart and did everything he could to help Mr. Lee and not put him in danger and not jeopardise any type of financial situation for Mr. Lee," Kessel said.

The next hearing in the reporting a false emergency case is due to take place on 26 July.