Veteran actor and director Timothy Busfield has taken a highly public step in his ongoing legal battle, with his attorney asserting that he voluntarily submitted to — and passed — a lie detector test related to the child sex abuse allegations he is facing.
His attorney, Larry Stein, spoke with TMZ on Wednesday, January 14, and gave the outlet the update.
“Tim Busfield denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false. As a voluntary step, he submitted to an independent polygraph examination regarding those allegations and passed,” Stein said.
Busfield’s Career and Personal Life
Timothy Busfield has had a longstanding career in television and film, earning acclaim including a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on “Thirtysomething” and notable roles on series such as “The West Wing” and in films like “Field of Dreams.”
His stature as both an actor and director has spanned decades, with fans recognizing him for his versatility and depth in both dramatic and comedic performances.
Off screen, Busfield is married to actress Melissa Gilbert, with whom he tied the knot in 2013.
The two met at a bar in 2012, according to PEOPLE.
Busfield Remembers the First Time He Met Gilbert
Busfield recalled the first time he met Gilbert.
He said that he would go to a bar that was right across the street from Universal Studios, and it was always empty.
“I remember so clearly grabbing pizza and then looking in the door to make sure there wasn’t a lot going on,” Busfield said. “There was one person sitting at the bar and she had a fedora on, and I couldn’t tell who it was, but I knew it was problematic.”
He noted how it was about eight months since we went on a date. “And I was so happy, and I was spooning with my pillow and really enjoying going to bed not involved in a relationship,” Busfield said.
He added that the two ended up talking all night and right away he knew that “she was the one.”
Gilbert, known for her breakthrough role on “Little House on the Prairie,” has maintained a low public presence amid the ongoing case.
Gilbert’s Rep Releases a Statement
Gilbert’s representative, Ame Van Iden, released a statement on her behalf on Tuesday, January 13, according to PEOPLE.
Van Iden said that Gilbert supports Busfield.
“Melissa Gilbert is not making public statements at this time. Any purported ‘statements’ circulating online — including AI-generated deepfakes of her ‘breaking her silence’ — should not be treated as coming from her,” the statement read.
“She is honoring the request of Tim’s lawyers not to speak publicly while the legal process unfolds,” it continued. “During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment. Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”
Gilbert previously gushed about her husband during a December 2025 interview.
“Every day, I count my blessings that I met this extraordinarily supportive partner,” she said at the time.
She added how nice it is to have such an easy relationship.
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