In 1984, Shelley joined the cast of the nighttime sitcom Night Court for its second season (replacing Paula Kelly). She was cast to play Public Defender Christine Sullivan and the character was going to be romantically involved with Judge Harry Stone (played by Harry Anderson). Promotional pics were taken and the announcement was made; but, when the series started shooting, at the last minute, producer Reinhold Weege decided she wasn't right for the part. And Shelley felt the same way. "I liked the show. They offered me the role. I went and met with them and liked them," Shelley said. "But what happened was the role was changed somewhere between that meeting and my first day on the set," she explained. "Instead of being a funny lady, as she was in the reading, they had changed her into a straight woman," Shelley added. So, the actress and the producer mutually and amicably agreed to call the whole thing off. Ellen Foley was brought in for that season to replace Shelley - as a new character, public defender Billie Young.
