A judge denied actor James Tupper's petition to be named his son's guardian ad litem during a tense courthouse hearing in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

As part of a legal back and forth pertaining to the late Anne Heche's estate, Tupper and his son Atlas, 13, whom he shared with Heche, reported to court to figure out next steps in their ongoing dispute against Heche's other son Homer Laffoon, 20, over who will control the late star's assets and be appointed guardian ad litem of Atlas.