A judge has dealt a blow to Nicolas Cage's daughter-in-law in her effort to sue the Oscar-winning actor, ruling she cannot serve him through a newspaper notice in an ongoing family legal battle.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Huey P. Cotton on Tuesday revoked an earlier order that allowed Hila Cage Coppola to serve Cage by publication. Because that order was withdrawn, the judge dismissed as moot a separate motion by Cage seeking to quash the summons.

The ruling is the latest twist in a bitter dispute involving Cage's son, Weston Coppola, his ex-wife Hila Cage Coppola and Weston's mother, Christina Fulton.

Weston and Fulton have both sued Hila, accusing her of making false statements about them after she filed for divorce. According to Weston's lawsuit, Hila contacted media outlets and spread false claims that were later shared on social media, including allegations that Fulton encouraged Weston to abuse Xanax and sleep nude in the same bed with her until he was 17.

Hila, who is representing herself, filed a cross-complaint against Nicolas Cage, Weston and Fulton in February 2024. She is seeking damages for defamation, malicious prosecution and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

In her filing, Hila alleges Cage and Fulton interfered in her marriage by exerting financial and emotional control over Weston, undermining his treatment and contributing to the breakdown of the relationship.

She further claims that after she filed for separation, Cage, Fulton and Weston launched what she describes as a retaliatory media campaign designed to damage her reputation and strengthen Weston's position in their divorce proceedings.

Hila and Weston were married from 2018 until their divorce in 2021.

Judge Cotton had initially ruled in March that Hila could serve Cage by publishing notice in a legal newspaper. But attorneys for Weston later argued they had not received notice of the hearing where she requested that relief.

Cage's attorneys separately argued that Hila knew the actor lives in Nevada and had not made sufficient efforts to personally serve him before seeking permission to use publication instead.

After withdrawing his earlier order allowing service by publication, Judge Cotton denied Cage's motion to quash as unnecessary, leaving Hila without court approval to serve the lawsuit through publication.