Former ’West Wing’-er to star in drama pilot

Janeane Garofalo, last seen helping get Jimmy Smits elected president on "The West Wing," is headed to CBS for her next TV gig.

Garofalo has signed to star in a pilot about a team of public defenders, which is one of several projects moving forward at the network. CBS has also given pilot orders to "Demons," a drama about an exorcist from "Joan of Arcadia" creator Barbara Hall, and "Swingtown," about couples who experiment with open marriage in 1970s suburbia, the showbiz trade papers say.

The Garofalo pilot comes from writer Barry Schindel, a veteran of "Law & Order" and "Numb3rs." It’s a reworked version of "Law Dogs," a script he originally wrote for NBC a few seasons back, about the professional and personal lives of lawyers who work in a public defender’s office.

This version, currently untitled, will be executive produced by Schindel and the "Numb3rs" team of Ridley and Tony Scott and David Zucker. Garofalo will play the head of the public defender’s office.

Her recent credits include a recurring part on "The West Wing" and the feature films "Southland Tales," "Stay" and "Wonderland." The "Reality Bites" star has also done voice work on "The Wild" and Comedy Central’s "Freak Show."

As for the other CBS pilots, Hall’s "Demons" will center on a psychologist and former Jesuit priest who performs exorcisms. It’s a trip back into religious themes for the "Joan" creator, who last spring wrote and executive produced the female-superhero pilot "Ultra." She’ll also exec produce "Demons," along with Joe Roth.

"Swingtown" comes from Mike Kelley ("The O.C.," "One Tree Hill"). He’s writing and executive producing the pilot, and Alan Poul, an Emmy nominee as both a producer and director of "Six Feet Under," will direct.