Nicollette Sheridan will only be entitled to limited damages if she wins her court battle against the creators of 'Desperate Housewives'.

The 47-year-old actress - who is suing for wrongful termination and gender discrimination - has been urged by Judge Elizabeth Allen White to settle the case before it goes to trial in October.

The judge warned: "You're going to spend a lot of money on this case."

During a hearing at Los Angeles Superior Court yesterday (29.08.11), Nicollette's lawyer Patrick Maloney called for jurors to be allowed to consider whether the star was entitled to wages for at least two extra seasons.

However, the judge ruled she could only seek damages for one year's pay, approximately $980,000 after declaring the show's producers had discretion to write out Nicollette's character Edie Britt when they saw fit to do so.

In yesterday's hearing, the judge - who has already thrown out her harassment claims against show creator and executive producer Marc Cherry - ruled the actress cannot make reference to the programme chief's alleged rude behaviour towards others during the trial.

In January, Nicollette agreed to remove her claims of discrimination and harassment based on sex, age and sexual orientation from the suit.

The month before, she decided to leave the claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress out of her case against Cherry, ABC and Touchstone TV so she could avoid undergoing a psychiatric or physical examination.

Nicollette filed a lawsuit last April, claiming wrongful termination, retaliatory termination, assault and battery, discrimination based on sex and age, gender violence, breach of good faith and intentional infliction of emotional distress - the charge which she has subsequently dropped.

In her original suit, the actress claimed Marc hit her across the face and sacked her when she complained to network ABC.

However, the broadcasters have claimed the director gave her a "light tap" while they were rehearsing a scene.