Director Roman Polanski's lawyers on Wednesday made the move we anticipated by asking a judge to sentence the film auteur “in absentia” for his 1977 conviction of having sex with a minor.

A hearing regarding the request was set for Jan. 22. An appeals court last month suggested that the director could be sentenced while out of the country and perhaps even get off for time served. Polanski wrapped up 42 days of a psychiatric evaluation in 1978 before fleeing to France after a judge indicated he could ultimately face time behind bars. (The director said he was led to believe otherwise).

Polanski has been a fugitive ever since then, but he was nabbed in September after the Los Angeles District Attorney's office caught wind of a trip he had planned to pick up an award in Switzerland. He's currently under house arrest at his Swiss chalet while awaiting extradition proceedings initiated by the D.A. here.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.