Stephen Collins must sit for deposition in lengthy divorce case

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Stephen Collins was a successful TV star. Faye Grant was a Hollywood heartthrob. On Wednesday, both were present in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, trying to dissolve their 26-year marriage.

The ongoing divorce proceedings come three months after the release of a scandalous audio recording in which Collins acknowledged inappropriate conduct with three underage girls.

"There were I think, yes, there were like three incidents over about three years," Collins says in the audio recording.

Grant has denied leaking the recording to TMZ. But in court papers, Collins alleges that Grant caused financial harm to their estate by failing to safeguard the recording, accusing her of leaving a CD copy of the recording with the words "Stephen Collins/predator" in a trash bag at the driveway of her house.

"She has no information on how it got to the media and they can't link that in any way, shape or form," said Kristina Royce, Grant's attorney. "I think their pleadings prove absolutely the opposite. It proved that there was other people in possession of this alleged tape from the garbage."

Attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, who is representing Collins, says the leaked recording of the private therapy session that went public in October 2014 has ruined his client's career. Collins is asking a judge to deny any further spousal support to Grant.

"As a result of this recording having found its way into the public domain somehow, he has not been able to maintain or receive employment," Kaplan said.

Kaplan also says that because his client is unable to work, Grant's share of their multimillion-dollar estate should be reduced accordingly.

Collins is best known for his role as a pastor in the TV show, "7th Heaven". Kaplan says his client hopes to someday return to acting.

"He would love to have the opportunity to return to being just an actor and not a point of sensational interest," Kaplan said.

Grant and her attorney refused to comment Wednesday, but, in court, Royce said zero spousal support was a nonstarter.

Collins has maintained in subsequent interviews that he is not a pedophile.

Superior Court Judge Mark Juhas really wants both sides to arrive at a settlement. If that doesn't happen, the divorce trial is scheduled to start on Feb. 9.