'Ugly' Stephen Collins divorce trial set to begin
Maria Puente, USA TODAY 7:07 p.m. EST November 11, 2014
Outside the courtroom, the Stephen Collins case is one of the ugliest Hollywood divorces in recent decades. Inside the courtroom, it's likely to be a cutanddried trial.
Assuming, of course, it actually goes to trial.
Blist actor Collins, accused (and taped) by his estranged wife, Faye Grant, of confessing to molesting young girls decades ago, is scheduled to go into divorce court with her on Wednesday to divide up their assets after
(Photo: Seth Wenig, AP) more than 25 years of marriage.
In California, such a proceeding is "usually just about the money," says attorney Lisa Bloom, who's handled some pretty ugly nonfamous divorce cases herself for her Bloom Firm familylaw practice in Los Angeles. "This is probably the ugliest case to hit the media, but all my cases are ugly."
Also, many of her cases feature secret recordings: "Anyone can push RECORD on a smartphone," she says.
But not every case features a toxic audio tape of a therapy session in which Collins is heard admitting that he molested underage girls. It's hanging over the divorce proceedings — even if it's not actually admissible as evidence in court — and adding to the interest in a twoyearold divorce case that had so far passed unnoticed.
"The court wants to find out the pool of assets they're working with — real property, bank accounts, money coming in from royalties — and generally it's divided roughly 5050," Bloom says. "The court does not want to get into reasons for the divorce; everyone has their reasons, everyone is angry, upset and emotional in divorces."
The Collins case is notable not just for the shocking allegations swirling around, but also for the contrast with Collins' goodguy image from his years starring on 7th Heaven and scores of other TV and movie roles.
At least three police investigations have been launched (not counting one from two years ago that led nowhere) by police in New York and California, even though the statute of limitations might be expired on decadesold alleged crimes. Collins has not been charged and may never be, but he's already damaged: Reruns of 7th Heaven were canceled, he was dropped from an upcoming film, dropped by his agent, lost a role on Scandal, and had to resign from the board of the Screen Actors Guild.
Who benefited by leaking the tape to TMZ last month? According to reports, Grant secretly made the tape and turned it over to police in 2012, but she denies she leaked it, and she said in a recent statement that the tape has not been part of the divorce proceedings in the past two years.
While the tape is not relevant in a California nofault divorce trial, says Bloom, it may be relevant if the case leads to a settlement, which often happens.
"Most of these cases end up settled before or even after the judge rules, and in a settlement all of it is relevant," says Bloom. "If Collins wants a confidentiality agreement from his wife that she not talk to the media or release any more information, he's going to have to get her to settle and will likely have to pay her a substantial amount."
Thanks to the tape, Collins' career is over (/story/life/people/2014/10/15/questionsaboutstephencollinscasestillunanswered/17002949/), which could be relevant in the divorce since that would affect his future income. That in turn could affect Grant's share of the assets.
His lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, who regularly appears on lists of California "super" divorce lawyers, said in a court filing last month that Collins' income has been reduced to what he can earn off investments, reported the Associated Press.
Grant is seeking $13,000 a month in spousal support, plus half the couple's millions in assets, including pricey properties in Brentwood. According to a filing (http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/stephencollinsstoppaymentswifearticle1.2006646) by Kaplan on Friday, the AP reported, Collins wants to eliminate spousal support entirely because of the effect of the tape on his income. In court, that's what they're supposed to be deciding.
Kaplan told AP that the case will be addressed in court and not in public statements. "I refuse to participate in a trial by sound bite," he said.
Grant's lawyer, Larry Ginsberg, did not return calls.
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