Judge denies motion to move Tennessee Title IX suit to Knoxville

A federal judge on Tuesday denied the University of Tennessee’s request to have the Title IX lawsuit against it moved to Knoxville.

Instead, the case will be heard in Nashville.

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University of Tennessee lawyers argued that it would be easier for the case to be heard in Knoxville because more of the deposition witnesses were there. However, eight plaintiffs in the case claimed it would be too traumatic to have the proceedings where the University of Tennessee is located.

On Feb. 9, a group of six unidentified women filed suit against the school for its handling of sexual assault complaints made against student-athletes. The federal suit claimed Tennessee created a “hostile sexual environment” through indifference toward assaults by student-athletes.

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Tennessee football coach Butch Jones — and by extension athletic director Dave Hart — has defended his program despite the fact that at least six players on Tennessee’s 2014 roster had been accused of sexual assault. And in February, defensive lineman Alexis Johnson was charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment of a female guest in his apartment. Johnson entered a not guilty plea and will have a preliminary hearing on April 21.

For more Tennessee news, visit VolQuest.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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