Los Angeles ? An appeals court on Thursday denied Roman Polanski’s latest attempt to end his decades-old sex case, a move that could set the stage for the fugitive director’s return to the United States.

The California 2nd District Court of Appeal denied Polanski’s petition to appoint a special counsel to investigate misconduct in the director’s case based on new information. His attorneys had also been asking for the director to be sentenced in absentia to time served.

The appeals court did not issue an opinion in the case.

The court’s decision not to revisit Polanski’s case came hours after it denied a request by Polanski’s victim, Samantha Geimer, to have the case dismissed.