Hilary Duff News

Hilary Duff and Joel Madden may have broken off their love affair, but their legal affairs remain intertwined.

The former twosome on Monday jointly dropped their restraining orders against Los Angeles paparazzo David Joseph Klein, a man they had accused of working in tandem with an alleged stalker, according to court documents obtained by E! Online today.

"Mr. David Joseph Klein has been dismissed from the cases brought against him by Hilary Duff and Joel Madden based upon his apologies for any misunderstanding, his cooperation, and his assurances that he will not seek further contact with Ms. Duff, Mr. Madden, or any of their family members or representatives," Duff's rep said in a statement. 

Back in October, Duff and Madden filed for protection from Klein and his roommate Maksim Myaskovskiy, an 18-year-old Russian émigré who allegedly moved to Los Angeles for the sole purpose of getting closer to the Lizzie Maguire star.

The ex-couple alleged in their court documents that Klein served as the go-between in relaying Myaskovskiy's unwanted communications to Duff and asked a judge to order both men to stay at least 100 yards away from them and their families.

In November, Myaskovskiy was arrested in Manhattan Beach, California, after he allegedly threatened to kill Duff. He pleaded not guilty to a felony stalking charge and remains behind bars. Klein was not charged in the case.

Attorneys for Duff and Madden contended in court documents that Klein never tried to stop Myaskovskiy, nor alerted authorities to the teen's disturbing behavior. They alleged that he may have even used the threats to make contact with Duff and her family in an attempt to "obtain something of value" from Hilary.

However, Klein claimed that his role in the case was mischaracterized in the court documents and complained that he felt he had been "stabbed in the back."

"I was trying to help warn them," Klein told the Los Angeles Times in November. "They turn around and make it like I'm the guilty person."

The shutterbug denied that he was Myaskovskiy's roommate, though he admitted allowing the teen to stay at his apartment from time to time. He said he met Myaskovskiy at a fast-food restaurant and tried to get him treatment for mental illness.

In September, the two men attended a Good Charlotte concert in Hollywood, where Klein allegedly made a remark to a member of Madden's security detail about "the bad things that would happen to Hilary if Max [Myaskovskiy] is not able to meet her."

Both of them were handcuffed and questioned and later released.

Klein said that the incident was blown out of proportion and Myaskovskiy had merely wanted an autograph.

"They took his dream away and essentially killed this kid," Klein told the Los Angeles Times.

The stress of battling alleged stalkers apparently took its toll on Duff and Madden's relationship. The duo parted ways last month after more than two years together, reportedly because of difficulties caused by their age difference. (Duff is 19, Madden is 27.)

Madden has since been linked to Nicole Richie.