Charlie Sheen has been ordered to testify in person at court after his attorney's bid to allow the actor to phone in testimony at an upcoming hearing failed.

Richard Cummins filed a motion earlier this week (begs04Jan10) requesting permission for his celebrity client to avoid court in person when a restraining order, relating to his Christmas morning (25Dec09) domestic dispute with wife Brooke Mueller, comes up for review.

Charlie Sheen was banned from contacting his wife after the bust-up in Aspen, Colorado, which landed him in police custody, but he's keen to have the protection order lifted.

He simply doesn't want to show up in court and face Brooke Mueller to do it.

Charlie Sheen had hoped to be allowed to testify by phone from Los Angeles, but, on Thursday (07Jan10), a judge ruled that he must appear in person at the hearing in Aspen on Monday.

The restraining order was put in place amid allegations Charlie Sheen threatened Brooke Mueller with a knife during the heated argument, for which he is facing charges of second-degree assault, menacing and criminal mischief.