Denise Richards, Aaron Phypers Face Off in Court

Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers' legal war is heating up ... the exes faced off in court for the actress' restraining order request hearing, nearly 2 months after she first accused him of domestic abuse ... and the fight is just getting started.

Monday's hearing was continued to next month because Aaron got a new lawyer, Michael Finley, and his attorney needs time to look over all the case details.

In the meantime, Denise gets to go back to the family house ... and Aaron's not allowed within 100 yards of the home.

The judge also ruled Aaron has to give Denise back a laptop she claims he stole from her ... setting a deadline by the end of the day Tuesday, even though Aaron still denies he even has Denise's device.

We caught "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star as she arrived at the courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles on Monday, where she kept a low profile in a black-and-white outfit.

Denise was escorted inside the court by her security detail and chose not to speak to the press before the hearing.

Remember, we broke the story ... Aaron filed for divorce just after July 4, and he told us it because Denise allegedly cheated with another man. He listed "irreconcilable differences" for the reason for the split ... but Denise responded to his divorce filing with an explosive accusation -- that she was Aaron's victim of physical and verbal abuse and shared gnarly photos of the alleged abuse.

Denise was granted a temporary domestic violence restraining order against her estranged husband in July, but Aaron has vehemently denied the accusations made against him.

He previously told TMZ ... Denise's claims of abuse are "not true" and that she has created "a story to save her image."

Denise and Aaron's love story started back in December 2017, when the "Wild Things" star began dating the holistic healer before his divorce to Nicollette Sheridan was finalized. The twosome then tied the knot less than a year later, in a Malibu-based ceremony captured by the 'RHOBH' cameras.

Denise and Aaron share daughter Eloise, 14 ... who AP adopted in 2019. Denise shares daughters Sami, 21, and Lola, 20, with ex-husband, Charlie Sheen.