A Los Angeles judge has denied Roman Polanski's request for the officials overseeing his 32-year-old sex case to be dismissed on the grounds of bias. Lawyers for the veteran movie maker filed a motion on Monday accusing Los Angeles Superior Court officials of bias against their client, and asking for a new judge to oversee hearings stemming from his unlawful intercourse case.

The director is accused of having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. He pleaded guilty to the charge before fleeing America and has lived the last three decades in exile.

Last month, Polanski formally requested the court throw out the charge "in the interests of justice".

But his attorneys claim Judge Peter Espinoza, who is scheduled to oversee a dismissal hearing on January 21, has a predisposition against Polanski.

However, judge Espinoza denied the request, stating Polanski's lawyers had "no legal grounds for disqualification."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)