Former Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio and his legal team are reportedly seeking over $200,000 in reimbursed legal fees from former Spartans staff member Curtis Blackwell, who filed a lawsuit against the ex-head coach and other MSU officials.

According to MLive’s Matt Wenzel, Dantonio’s legal team is seeking up to $214,153 in reimbursed legal fees from Blackwell. The action comes after U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens recommended that Blackwell’s lawsuit be dismissed. The judge also recommended that Blackwell’s attorneys be dismissed and legal fees be paid.

Berens said that Blackwell and his legal team “repeatedly misused court process to elicit information unrelated to his case.” She also stated that attorneys “harassed” the defendants to build a case that has now been filed in state court.

In 2018, Blackwell filed a wrongful termination suit against Dantonio. In spring 2017, Dantonio did not renew Blackwell’s contract following a sexual assault case that involved three former Michigan State football players. Blackwell was accused of covering up the assault involving Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance and was taken out of the football facility in handcuffs.

Blackwell was never charged in the case.

Dantonio stepped down as head coach of Michigan State in February after 13 seasons with the program. He won three B1G titles with the Spartans and led the team to a College Football Playoff berth in 2015.