Judge in Fayette County Circuit Court denies motion for temporary injunctive relief in lawsuit by former FCPS budget director

A Fayette County Circuit Court judge denied a motion for temporary injunctive relief Wednesday morning in a lawsuit filed by Ann Sampson-Grimes, a former budget director for Fayette County Public Schools.

Judge Thomas Travis ruled on the request during the court’s Wednesday motion hour, according to WKYT. The motion sought immediate, temporary court intervention while the case proceeds on its merits.

Sampson-Grimes’ lawsuit follows district action in which she was placed on administrative leave, WKYT reported. Her attorney argued that the leave was retaliation for Sampson-Grimes’ alleged efforts to raise concerns about district budget problems.

In court filings and arguments presented at the motion hearing, Sampson-Grimes’ side characterized the school district’s response as punitive, and sought injunctive relief intended to prevent further impact during the litigation. The judge did not grant the requested temporary relief.

The denial means the administrative-leave status and any related conditions that were in place at the time of the motion remain in effect for now, absent a different order from the court. The case is expected to continue through the regular litigation process, including discovery and any later motions.

Kentucky courts generally treat temporary injunctive requests as a high bar because they ask a judge to intervene before final adjudication. While the motion indicates urgency on Sampson-Grimes’ side, Travis’ denial indicates the judge did not find the legal standard for immediate temporary relief satisfied based on the record presented at the hearing.

The dispute also centers on the institutional handling of internal financial concerns in a public school district, where employees may seek legal recourse if they believe they faced adverse treatment after raising issues. Because the decision addressed only temporary relief, the underlying claims in the lawsuit were not resolved by the ruling.

WKYT reported the courtroom action in Fayette County Circuit Court. Additional developments, including any amended filings, responses from FCPS, or subsequent hearings, would determine how the matter progresses and whether further court orders are sought.