Judge Once Ordered Timothy Busfield to Pay $150,000 After Rejecting Defamation Claim; Actor Now Faces New Criminal Charges

A federal judge once ordered actor and director Timothy Busfield to pay $150,000 to a Minneapolis law firm after rejecting his claim that the firm fabricated a sexual assault allegation against him, according to court records.

In 1996, U.S. District Judge James Ideman ordered Busfield to reimburse Messerli & Kramer for the costs it incurred defending itself against a defamation lawsuit he filed. Busfield later appealed the ruling, and the parties ultimately settled the defamation case.

Busfield, who is married to actress Melissa Gilbert, had alleged that the firm made up a claim that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl. The girl was an extra on the 1993 film Little Big League, which Busfield directed. Busfield settled the girl’s lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. No criminal charges were filed in that case.

The actor, now 68, is best known for playing Danny Concannon on The West Wing.

Busfield is currently facing two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, according to an arrest warrant issued by the Albuquerque Police Department on Friday, Jan. 9.

Authorities allege that Busfield engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two 11-year-old boys who are related. Their identities have not been made public. One of the minors told investigators that the alleged incidents began when he was 7 years old.

The investigation began on Nov. 1, 2024, after a doctor at University of New Mexico Hospital alerted police to possible sexual abuse, according to the warrant.

Police say the minors’ parents told investigators that the boys were child actors who met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield worked as a director. The show aired from January 2022 through June 2025.

In the warrant, an officer also referenced two earlier allegations reported in the media. The first involved the 1990s case tied to Little Big League. The second dated to March 18, 2012, when a 28-year-old woman accused Busfield of battery in a Los Angeles movie theater, alleging inappropriate sexual contact. According to the warrant, no lawsuit was filed in that matter, and prosecutors declined to pursue charges, citing limited evidence. Busfield described the encounter as consensual.

In a statement, a representative for Warner Bros. Television said the company prioritizes the safety of cast and crew, especially minors, and takes all allegations of misconduct seriously. The spokesperson added that the company is cooperating with law enforcement.

Busfield has denied wrongdoing in past allegations. The current charges remain pending, and no trial date has been announced.