Michael Avenatti's former girlfriend is full steam ahead with claims the high-flying lawyer assaulted her _ and she's expecting criminal charges "soon," her lawyer told the New York Daily News on Wednesday.
"It is important to Mareli that (prosecutors) act affirmatively in pursing the criminal matter," lawyer Michael Bachner said, referring to his 24-year-old client Mareli Miniutti.
"We are confident that charges will be forthcoming," Bachner said. "We expect there will be a decision pretty soon."
Avenatti, 47, refuted the claim Wednesday.
"I will be fully exonerated because I did nothing wrong," he told the Daily News.
He pointed out that the Los Angeles County district attorney declined to file any felony charges in the case a week after his Nov. 14 arrest and instead referred the matter to the Los Angeles city attorney for misdemeanor consideration.
"The DA declined to press charges after a thorough investigation," he said. "I am innocent."
Miniutti's lawyer spoke to the Daily News shortly after the Los Angeles County Superior Court judge overseeing Miniutti's civil restraining order case against Avenatti postponed until March 13 a key hearing that was set to take place Wednesday.
The delay meant the court did not immediately consider whether there's enough evidence to extend Miniutti's temporary restraining order for several years.
At the hearing in Santa Monica, Calif., Judge Susan Lopez-Giss said she was extending Miniutti's temporary stay-away order against Avenatti until the March date.
Lawyers for both sides spoke during the Wednesday hearing and agreed they wanted a delay because the criminal investigation was still pending and Bachner needed more time to get his full clearance to practice in California.
"I spoke to her several times, and she said as long as the conditions (of the TRO) remain," she is amendable to the continuance, Bachner told the judge.
Avenatti's lawyer, Richard Beada, declined to comment on the case as he left the courthouse.
Attempts to reach a spokesman for the city attorney were not immediately successful Wednesday.
Avenatti, best known for his fiery representation of porn star Stormy Daniels against President Donald Trump, was originally arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence.
The lawyer vehemently denied any wrongdoing after his release on bail and suggested the allegations were fabricated by his political adversaries.
Miniutti, an aspiring actress and model originally from Estonia, claimed in a sworn statement in her TRO paperwork that Avenatti physically assaulted her on two occasions _ once early last year and again on Nov. 13.
Miniutti alleged that an intoxicated Avenatti turned "physically violent" and shoved her into a hallway last February, causing her to bang her head on a doorway.
"Respondent then threw my shoes at me, striking me in the leg," she claimed in court papers obtained by the Daily News.
She said the alleged incident in November erupted over money and included Avenatti calling her an "ungrateful f---ing b---h."
Miniutti claimed Avenatti "forcefully" hit her in the face with pillows and dragged her across the floor of their shared apartment.
She included photos in her filing of the alleged scratches she suffered on her leg and side.
"I am thankful that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has rejected filing any charges against me after a fair, careful and thorough investigation," Avenatti said in a Twitter post after the DA declined the case.
"I have maintained my innocence since the moment of my arrest. I wish to thank my supporters, friends, family, attorneys and clients for the outpouring of support they provided. This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for justice," he said.
