J.Lo, Ex-Husband Seek Arbitration

A dispute between Jennifer Lopez and her ex-husband over his proposed tell-all book about their relationship does not need to go to court, their attorneys said Wednesday.

The attorneys told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Victor H. Person that the issues between Lopez and Ojani Noa could be settled through arbitration. Another pretrial hearing was set for Oct. 17.

Lopez filed suit April 10 and obtained a temporary restraining order barring Noa from publishing intimate details of her sex life. On June 30, she and Noa agreed to have the order extended as a preliminary injunction.

Lopez was not present at Wednesday's hearing, but will have to attend if the judge orders a mandatory settlement conference. Her lawyer, Kristina L. Brittenham, declined to comment.

Noa's attorney, Robert Vasquez, also declined to talk about the case.

Lopez, who has appeared in such films as "Selena," "Out of Sight" and "Monster-in-Law," married Noa in February 1997 after meeting him in a Miami restaurant. They divorced 11 months later.

Last October, Noa and Lopez settled a lawsuit he brought against her, alleging he was illegally fired as manager of her Los Angeles area restaurant, Madre's. In exchange for a $125,000 payment from Lopez, Noa agreed not to disparage her or make money off disclosure of his relationship with her, according to her court papers.

On Jan. 19, he wrote a letter to Lopez's attorneys saying he would continue to market his book, reportedly titled "The Unknown Truth: A Passionate Portrait of a Serial Thriller," unless Lopez paid him $5 million, according to court papers.