Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of Robert Herjavec, the Brak Systems founder and Shark Tank investor. Their 24-year marriage ended in 2014. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice later made it one of Canada’s most-studied high-asset divorces.
Justice Ruth Mesbur’s ruling ordered $125,000 per month in spousal support. It also examined a family trust, property equalization, and the career Plese gave up to raise Caprice, Skye and Brendan. So who is she, and what really happened? This guide separates verified court facts from online myths.
Quick Answer: Who Is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Toronto-area optometrist and the ex-wife of Robert Herjavec. She is known mainly through the legal case Plese v. Herjavec, not through entertainment or social media.
In short, she left her optometry practice to raise three children, went through a long contested divorce, and received a landmark spousal support order. She has kept a very private life since.
Quick Bio: Diane Plese at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Diane Plese |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Profession | Optometrist (former practice) |
| Known as | Robert Herjavec’s ex-wife |
| Date of birth / age | Not publicly confirmed |
| Children | Three: Caprice, Skye and Brendan |
| Separation date | July 24, 2014 |
| Divorce filed | March 2015 |
| Court | Ontario Superior Court of Justice |
| Judge | Justice Ruth Mesbur |
| Reported spousal support | $125,000 per month |
| Net worth | No verified figure |
Who Is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Toronto-area optometrist who built a family and life alongside Robert Herjavec before his rise to fame. She is not a celebrity by profession.
Her name became widely searched because of the court case. Legal summaries describe her as a spouse who left her practice to raise the couple’s children.
She rarely gives interviews and shares almost nothing online. That is why so much of what circulates about her is copied, guessed or wrong.
Diane Plese’s Early Life and Education
Very little verified information exists about her childhood or family background. She has not published a memoir or given extensive interviews.
What the record does show is that she trained as an optometrist. In Ontario, this is a regulated health profession that requires a university degree and professional licensing.
Her birthplace, school names and parents are not reliably documented. Treat any website that offers these details with caution, because they rarely cite a source.
Diane Plese’s Career as an Optometrist
Plese worked as an optometrist before and during the early years of her marriage. Court-related summaries state that she gave up her practice to care for the couple’s three children.
Key points about her career:
- She practiced as a licensed optometrist.
- She stepped away from paid work to raise the children.
- The court noted she had been out of the workforce for about 15 years.
- The judge considered it unlikely she would return to her old career.
This detail matters because it shaped the spousal support ruling, explained below. Time away from a licensed profession can be very hard to recover from, especially after more than a decade.
How Did Diane Plese Meet Robert Herjavec?
According to reporting by the National Post, the two met when Herjavec was around 26 and not yet wealthy. Plese was his optometrist, and he had come in for an eye appointment.
They reportedly hit it off, and the relationship grew from there. It is a simple, almost ordinary origin story for a couple who later became the subject of a major family law case.
That contrast is part of why readers find her story interesting. A routine appointment led to a marriage that eventually became a textbook example in Canadian courts.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Marriage
The court recorded that the couple separated on July 24, 2014, after 24 years of marriage. That places the wedding around 1990.
During those years, Herjavec founded the cybersecurity company Brak Systems, sold it in 2000, and later built The Herjavec Group. He also became a television personality on Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank.
Plese supported the family at home while the business grew. The judge later described the Brak sale as bringing “unimagined wealth,” which changed the family’s life.
Their marriage therefore covered two very different eras. One was a young couple with a growing business, and the other was a wealthy family with a public profile.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Children
The couple have three children:
| Child | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Caprice Herjavec | Daughter |
| Skye Herjavec | Daughter |
| Brendan Herjavec | Son |
All three were adults by the time of the court ruling, so the case did not focus on child custody. Plese’s decision to leave optometry to raise them became a central point in the spousal support analysis.
The children are not the subject of the dispute, and they have largely stayed out of the legal story. Respecting that boundary is part of presenting this case responsibly.
From a Young Family to Extraordinary Wealth
The family’s finances changed sharply in the late 1990s and 2000. Here is the timeline in order:
- 1990: Herjavec starts Brak Systems.
- 1996: He creates a family trust.
- 1997: He transfers 75% of his Brak shares into that trust.
- 2000: Brak is sold to AT&T for about $30–31 million.
- 2003: He establishes The Herjavec Group, which grows into a major cybersecurity firm.
The couple went from a young family to extraordinary wealth within a decade. That history made their divorce unusually complex, with large assets, a family trust and a private company to value.
Key Dates in the Diane Plese Case
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1990 (approx.) | Marriage begins, according to the 24-year timeline |
| 1996 | Family trust created |
| 1997 | 75% of Brak shares moved into the trust |
| 2000 | Brak sold to AT&T |
| 2003 | The Herjavec Group established |
| July 24, 2014 | Date of separation |
| March 2015 | Divorce filed |
| 2018 | Ontario Superior Court decision (2018 ONSC 7749) |
| 2020 | Ontario Court of Appeal decision (2020 ONCA 810) |
Why Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Separate?
The couple separated in July 2014. Plese filed for divorce in March 2015.
The judge noted that Herjavec had an extramarital affair in 2014, before he later married Dancing with the Stars partner Kym Johnson. Media outlets widely linked the affair to the breakup.
In Ontario, divorce is “no-fault,” so courts do not normally punish a spouse for misconduct when dividing property. The financial outcome was based on law and evidence, not blame.
This is a common misunderstanding. Many readers assume the affair increased the payout, but Canadian family law does not work that way.
The Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Divorce Case
The case, Plese v. Herjavec, was heard in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Justice Ruth Mesbur issued a lengthy decision in late 2018 (cited as 2018 ONSC 7749).
The trial was exceptionally detailed. Commentators reported that the parties argued over nearly everything, including:
- The value of their homes and properties
- The value of Herjavec’s private company shares
- How to treat his television income
- The family trust’s remaining assets
The Ontario Court of Appeal later considered the case again (cited as 2020 ONCA 810). It is frequently referenced in Canadian family law.
Property Equalization and Financial Issues
Under Ontario law, spouses generally equalize the growth in their net family property. In this case:
| Item | Reported Detail |
|---|---|
| Equalization payment | About $2.5–2.6 million (sources differ slightly) |
| Additional payment | About $2.4 million once the Florida property sold |
| Total Plese left with | Roughly $25 million, including these amounts |
| Herjavec’s reported annual income | About $5.2 million |
Note that the $25 million figure refers to what she left the marriage with, not a current net worth. Investments, spending and taxes since then are not public.
Numbers also differ slightly between sources, which is normal for a decision this long. When you see a precise figure online, check whether it comes from the judgment itself or from a repeated summary.
What Equalization Means in Simple Words
Equalization is a way of sharing the value that a couple built during the marriage. It does not mean everything is split exactly in half.
The court compares each spouse’s net family property. The spouse with the higher amount makes a payment to balance the difference.
In a case with a family trust and a private company, deciding what counts and what it is worth becomes the hard part. That is why this trial took so much expert evidence.
The Family Trust Dispute
One of the most complicated parts of the case was the family trust Herjavec set up in 1996.
Plese argued after separation that the trust had very few assets left. Her side questioned how money moved out of the trust, including funds used for family expenses and for his later company.
Experts traced around $21 million in trust disbursements. The judge noted that the tracing exercise was a huge undertaking.
Legal commentators now use this case as an example of how hard it is to value a discretionary family trust. For couples with trusts, it is a warning to keep clear records.
Diane Plese’s Spousal Support Award
The most-searched part of the ruling is the support order. The judge ordered Herjavec to pay $125,000 per month in spousal support.
How the court reached that figure:
- It found Plese eligible for compensatory support, because she had left her career for family.
- It accepted that she would buy a home and cottage costing about $10.5 million in total.
- Experts estimated her lifestyle needed about $58,000 per month, which her investment income would not fully cover. This supported a needs-based claim.
- The federal Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines suggested a range of about $153,000 to $187,000. The judge chose a lower amount.
- The award gave Plese roughly 39% of the couple’s net disposable income.
Spousal support is taxable income in Canada, so the amount she keeps is lower than the headline number.
Compensatory Support vs Needs-Based Support
These two terms appear often in coverage of the ruling, so they are worth understanding.
Compensatory support recognizes a loss. A spouse who gave up career growth for the family may be compensated for that sacrifice.
Needs-based support looks at whether a spouse can maintain a reasonable standard of living on their own. In this case, the judge considered both ideas.
| Support Type | Basic Idea | How It Applied Here |
|---|---|---|
| Compensatory | Pays for career sacrifice | Plese left optometry for about 15 years |
| Needs-based | Covers a gap in lifestyle costs | Her estimated need exceeded her investment income |
Why the Judge Chose a Lower Figure
The guidelines suggested a higher range than the final order. The judge still set the amount at $125,000 per month.
That shows the guidelines are a tool, not a rule. Judges can adjust the number based on evidence and the facts of each family.
This is one reason the case is studied so closely. It shows how a court balances formulas with real-life details.
What Diane Plese’s Case Shows About Career Sacrifice
The case is now a reference point in Canadian law for a simple idea: leaving a career to raise a family has real economic value.
Even though Plese left with substantial capital, the court still recognized the earning power she gave up. Lawyers cite the ruling to show that “enough money” depends on the lifestyle of the marriage, not on a fixed number.
It also shows that high-asset divorces are rarely simple. Experts, trusts and valuations can take years to sort out.
Lessons Families Can Take From the Case
You do not need to be wealthy to learn from this story. Several practical points apply to many families.
- Keep clear records of family finances and any trusts.
- Understand how a career break can affect long-term earning power.
- Remember that no-fault divorce means conduct rarely changes the money outcome.
- Get independent legal and financial advice early.
This is general information, not legal advice. Every family’s situation is different.
Diane Plese’s Net Worth: Why Online Estimates Should Be Treated Carefully
Many websites list a specific net worth for Diane Plese. Most copy each other and are unreliable.
What is reliably reported:
- She left the marriage with roughly $25 million in assets after equalization, according to legal summaries.
- She was awarded $125,000 per month in spousal support.
What is not verified:
- Her current net worth
- Her investments or spending
- Any business income since the divorce
So the safest answer is that no confirmed current net worth exists.
Where Is Diane Plese Now?
There is no verified public information about her current location, work or activities. She has stayed out of the spotlight since the case concluded.
Robert Herjavec later married Kym Johnson and continues his television and business work. Diane Plese’s current life remains private, and respecting that is the right approach.
Why Is Diane Plese Still Searched Online?
People keep searching her name for several reasons:
- Celebrity curiosity: Herjavec’s Shark Tank fame draws interest in his family.
- The large support figure: $125,000 per month is a headline number.
- Legal interest: Law students and lawyers study the case.
- Her private life: Limited information increases curiosity.
The search interest is global. Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den fans in Canada, the United States, the UK and beyond look for background on the people around the show’s stars.
Separating Facts From Myths About Diane Plese
| Claim Online | Reality |
|---|---|
| She received $100 million | Not supported. Reported total was about $25 million. |
| Divorce was “amicable” | Not supported by the long, contested trial. |
| She runs a company called BRAKESAFE | Unverified. Brak was Herjavec’s company. |
| Married 1990–2004 | Incorrect. Court records say separation in 2014. |
| $125,000 was child support | Incorrect. It was spousal support for an adult family. |
| She has a confirmed current net worth | No reliable source confirms one. |
Diane Plese’s Story Beyond the “Celebrity Ex-Wife” Label
It is easy to define her only by her ex-husband’s fame. But her story is more than that.
She trained as an optometrist, raised three children, and helped carry a family through its biggest financial change. Then she went through one of Canada’s most closely studied divorce trials.
Her case now teaches lawyers and families alike about the value of unpaid and sacrificed work.
How to Research Court Cases Like Plese v. Herjavec Responsibly
Stories like this spread quickly, and errors spread with them. A few habits help you find accurate information.
First, look for the case citations, such as 2018 ONSC 7749 and 2020 ONCA 810. Court decisions are the most reliable source for what the judge actually decided.
Second, prefer reputable news outlets and legal commentary over copied biography sites. Third, be careful with exact figures that appear without a source.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diane Plese
Who is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist and the former wife of Robert Herjavec. She is known mainly through their Ontario divorce case.
How long were Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec married?
Court records say they separated in July 2014 after 24 years of marriage.
How many children do Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec have?
They have three children: Caprice, Skye and Brendan.
How did Diane Plese meet Robert Herjavec?
Reports say they met when she was his optometrist and he came in for an eye appointment.
How much spousal support does Diane Plese receive?
The Ontario court ordered $125,000 per month in spousal support.
What is Diane Plese’s net worth?
No verified current figure exists. Reports say she left the marriage with about $25 million.
Why did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec divorce?
They separated in 2014 and she filed in March 2015. The judge noted an affair, though Ontario divorce law is no-fault.
Did Diane Plese give up her career?
Yes. Court summaries say she left her optometry practice to raise the children.
Which court heard the Diane Plese divorce case?
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice heard it, with Justice Ruth Mesbur issuing the decision. The Ontario Court of Appeal later considered it.
Where is Diane Plese now?
Her current location and activities are not publicly confirmed. She keeps a private life.
Conclusion: What the Diane Plese Story Really Tells Us
Diane Plese is far more than a name attached to a celebrity divorce. She is a trained optometrist, a mother of three, and the central figure in a landmark Ontario ruling on spousal support and family trusts.
The verified facts are clear: a 24-year marriage, a 2014 separation, a detailed court decision and a $125,000 monthly support order. Beyond that, much online content about Diane Plese is guesswork.
For accurate information about Robert Herjavec’s ex-wife, rely on court records and reputable reporting rather than copied biography sites.
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