Allegations that a female probation officer had a sexual relationship with the president judge of Butler County can remain in the hostile work environment lawsuit that the officer recently brought against the judge and court, a federal judge has ruled.

U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon of the Western District of Pennsylvania on Thursday denied the motion to strike that Butler County President Judge Thomas Doerr filed in the case Starnes v. Court of Common Pleas of Butler County.