A federal lawsuit involving a Butler County Common Pleas Court judge and a probation officer for the county has been settled, ending a three-year dispute.

In October 2017, Crystal Starnes filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging, among other things, that President Judge Thomas Doerr hired her as a county probation officer after he started an unwelcome five-year sexual relationship with her in 2005, calling it a “business relationship.” Her lawsuit claimed Doerr continued to harass her after the relationship ended in 2010. At the time, she requested a trial, but the suit was settled Wednesday after it went to mediation in November.

Starnes, through her lawyers, declined to comment.

Doerr said he signed a confidentiality agreement that prevented him from discussing the settlement, but he said, “I'm thrilled that it's done and happy I was dismissed from it. And so was Thomas Holman.”

As part of the settlement, Doerr and his codefendant Holman, a retired court administrator, were dismissed from the suit. The details of the settlement are not public record, and the case was voluntarily dismissed by Starnes.

“On behalf of Doerr we're very pleased that the plaintiffs have dismissed the lawsuit filed in this matter filed against him,” said Tom King, a lawyer representing Doerr in the suit. “The entire matter is now behind him and resolved.”