The legal battle over the multimillion-dollar proceeds from the Fifty Shades of Grey publishing franchise could soon head to Australia.
The US lawyer representing the former business partner of Sydney publisher Amanda Hayward says his firm is willing to "pursue steps" in Australian courts over his client's claim for an outstanding share of royalties. 
A Texas judge last week ordered Hayward to set aside $US10 million ($14 million) ahead of a final judgment in the case.
In   February, a district court jury found Hayward had defrauded school teacher Jennifer Pedroza, who had helped Hayward run the online fan fiction site The Writer's Coffee Shop, out of her share of the royalties from the book.
As Hayward's lawyers said she did not have the $US10 million in cash, which represented Pedroza's one-quarter share of the books' earnings, the judge ruled that property could be applied towards the reserved amount.
The deposit is to be paid by   September 25.
Pedroza's claim for "equitable remedies" covers five properties including Hayward's $6 million home in Dural, a commercial property in South Windsor and royalty cheques from Random House and booksellers Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
In 2009, the Coffee Shop published Fifty Shades of Grey as an e-book and as a print-on-demand book. In   March 2012, Hayward sold the rights to the original and two sequels, written by British author E.L. James, to Random House.
Pedroza said she was induced to sign a contract negating the partnership, and received a one-off payment of $US100,000.
Pedroza's lawyer in Dallas, Mike Farris, said he would look at all legal processes available to his client to enforce the pending Texas judgment, including but not limited to injunctions or freezing orders on Australian-held assets.
Lawyers for Hayward have foreshadowed an appeal against the jury decision and judgment.