Nicollette Sheridan hit another setback in her lawsuit against ABC and Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry, the Associated Press reports.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Allen White limited the actress' potential damages from the claim, ruling that she could only receive one season's earnings if she wins the suit, rather than two seasons or more, which her attorney had argued for.

The ruling effectively limits Sheridan's potential win from the case to the $980,000 that she would have earned on Season 6 of Housewives, had her character, Edie Britt, not been killed off.

However, the actress may pursue punitive damages if she wins her case.

Also read: Nicollette Sheridan's Sex-Harassment Claims Tossed; Housewives Suit OK'd

In making her ruling, the judge reasoned that it was within the Housewives producers' discretion to kill off her character, and there was no precedent to suggest that Sheridan might be entitled to damages beyond Season 6 of the series.

White also urged Sheridan to settle the suit, telling attorneys, You're going to spend a lot of money on this case.

Also read: ABC Divorces Desperate Housewives'; Show Shutting Down in May 2012

Sheridan filed her suit against ABC and Cherry last year, claiming that she was unfairly ousted from the series after complaining that Cherry had slapped her during a 2008 argument. The actress, 47, received a setback from White in May, when the judge tossed out the sexual-harassment portion of Sheridan's case while allowing the suit to go forward.

During Monday's hearing, White also ruled that Sheridan cannot make reference to Cherry's alleged rude behavior toward others during the trial, which is scheduled to begin in October.

Sheridan's attorney did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment.

Housewives will end after its eighth season, which will wrap up in May 2012.

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