Swiss authorities say they will decide early next year on whether to extradite director Roman Polanski to the United States.

Justice Ministry spokesman Folco Galli says officials are still studying a U.S. extradition request and an argument by Polanski's lawyers against him being handed over to authorities in Los Angeles for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

Galli said Wednesday that a decision will be made "early next year."

Polanski was released from a Swiss jail on Dec. 4 and is under house arrest at his Alpine chalet in Switzerland.

He was arrested Sept. 26 as he arrived in Zurich to receive an award at a film festival.

The 76-year-old director is seeking a dismissal in Los Angeles of the sex misconduct charges against him.