Former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen went before a Los Angeles judge on Tuesday in a bid to seek custody of his twin sons with estranged wife Brooke Mueller.

Mr Sheen and Ms Mueller, who also attended the closed hearing, finalised their divorce months ago but it does not become official until May 2.

Ms Mueller had reportedly checked into rehab over recent days but appeared in court today.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Hank Goldberg sealed the hearing at the request of her lawyer, saying it was “in the best interest of the children” because of “questions of abuse and other inflammatory and emotional issues”.

Mr Sheen arrived in court wearing a black suit, glasses and an orange tie.

As the public filed out of the courtroom, Mr Sheen gave a fist bump to a reporter in the audience.

One of his girlfriends, whom he describes as “goddesses”, accompanied him to court and sat on a bench outside the courtroom.

The actor and his estranged wife have had several disputes in recent months, with Ms Mueller accusing Mr Sheen of threatening her with a pen knife.

The couple reached an agreement and Ms Mueller dropped her request for a restraining order.

Mr Sheen’s lawyer, Mark Gross, said in court it was unfair that Ms Mueller’s legal representatives had not sought to seal the restraining order, which detailed numerous alleged threats Mr Sheen had made. Dr Gross agreed the hearing should be closed and MsMueller’s lawyers called the complaint, “a dollar short and a day late”.

Mr Sheen is in the middle of a US-wide tour called My Violent Torpedo Of Truth – Defeat Is Not An Option and was scheduled to perform in Washington DC on last night.

In Santa Monica, California, Mr Sheen’s lawyers are arguing his $100 million lawsuit over his firing from Two And A Half Men should be heard in the public courts system rather than through private arbitration as his former employer, Warner Bros Television, wants.