Dylan McDermott, the lawyer who appeared on The Practice for seven years, is divorcing. It seems that playing a lawyer on television gives you some kind of law degree, because he’s also planning on representing himself.
McDermott, 46, filed for divorce from his wife of 11 years, Shiva Rose, earlier this month.
According to the New York Post, the actor — who spent seven years playing a litigator on the hit TV show “The Practice” — will be handling the case in propria persona, acting as his own attorney.
The star has cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split, following his announcement of the pair’s separation in September last year.
Dylan and his wife Shiva Rose, who is really quite beautiful, were married since 1995, and have a 12-year-old daughter Collette Blu and a 2-year-old daughter Charlotte Rose. He will be requesting joint custody.
It seems strange to me to represent yourself in court, but I guess if your divorce is going to be reasonably simple, and there’s no particular reason for you not to share custody of your children, it would save a lot of legal fees.
I wouldn’t recommend representing yourself to everyone though.
I wonder if Dylan will start stalking around the courtroom like they tend to do on American legal shows – I think that isn’t allowed in a real life court.
Dylan McDermott and Shiva Rose are shown at the 2007 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on 2/25/07, thanks to PRPhotos.
They don’t allow a great deal of stalking in American courts either, but it makes for good drama.
What’s that old saying? The guy who acts as his own counsel has a fool for a client?
In a simple divorce, with no children and no property to speak of and no animosity, it’s okay to be unrepresented. With children and this much money at stake, he really should have an attorney.
yep syko…
“the lawyer who choses to represent himself has a fool for a client”
Bad, Bad, Bad idea.
Hey, I’d represent him, for a reduced fee, but I’m not licensed in CA!
If it’s an uncontested divorce, there’s no reason he can’t represent himself. It’s possible they are working out custory and division of property with a mediator and will each represent themselves in a no-fault action.
My ex and I did our divorce ourselves; but we were both under 30 and had essentially no assets to split or custody to negotiate. I got everything in the apartment, the car and the dog while he ran off to the west coast to become a rock star.
Maybe Dylan and his wife are trying to create a positive scenario for their children but not dragging each other’s name through the mud with their lawyer, like the Hoff did. If that’s the case, then I applaud his decision.
Hey Roma, what ever happened to your ex-husband rock star? Did he ever make it big?
You know the old saying, he who represents himself has a fool for a client! 😆
She really is a beautiful woman.
If I were in entertainment, I’d want to have Shiva Rose’s publicist. For years I’ve seen her in magazines, identified as “actress/activist.” Yet that’s the only place I ever see her–fashion magazines.
Get a lawyer. She’ll have one I bet.
@Wif: They’re getting big-ish, but in Canada. But I really do like all the stuff I got to keep…