The equilibrium swelling and phase behavior of the side chain liquid crystalline (LC)networks in isotropic (nonmesomorphic) solvents has been investigated as a function of temperature.The LC networks swollen in di-n-amyl phthalate or di-n-butyl phthalate exhibit discontinuous volumetransition driven by nematic ordering: The swollen isotropic gel is discontinuously transformed into theshrunken nematic gel at a characteristic temperature (TNIG). The transition temperature TNIG dependson the swelling solvent, and TNIG decreases as the degree of equilibrium swelling in the isotropic phaseincreases. The volume transition phenomena observed are satisfactorily described by a mean field theoryfor nematic gel.