A $1 million sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a former county employee has been dismissed by a federal judge.

U.S. District Judge Frederick Motz dismissed the lawsuit filed by Miriam Grice, a Columbia resident, on Nov. 5. Motz, in a written opinion, said the suit failed to present enough evidence to support her claims.

Grice, a former claims manager in the county’s worker’s compensation claims unit, claimed that a panel charged with filing a newly created claims manager position was biased against her. She claimed she was demoted, suspended repeatedly and ultimately fired after witnessing an unspecified “awkward scene after work hours in defendant Berger’s office one evening,” involving county administrative officer Fred Homan and Suzanne Berger, a county attorney.

Allegations of an affair between the two were banned from the lawsuit earlier a year ago. County officials have repeatedly denied such a relationship between Homan and Berger.

The suit was filed against the county, Homan and Berger.

Don Mohler, a county spokesman, called the lawsuit “mean-spirited” and said the dismissal was expected.

 “It comes as little solace to families who had to read these lies for months and months,” Mohler said.

Kathleen Cahill, Grice’s attorney, said she couldn’t “comment at this juncture” and declined to discuss the possibility of an appeal.

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