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A federal judge has rejected a University of Kentucky professor’s attempt to temporarily stop its new law school dean from starting the role, court records show.
Ramsi Woodcock, a UK law professor who was reassigned to non-teaching duties in July 2025 for calling for war on Israel, sued Gregory Van Tatenhove on July 13 – a week before Van Tatenhove began his role as dean of UK College of Law. UK President Eli Capilouto and Provost Robert DiPaola were also sued.
Van Tatenhove resigned from being a federal judge for the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky on Sunday, according to Jay Blanton, a spokesperson for the university. The court’s website said he was still assigned to a few court cases Monday, but his calendar cleared, and he was removed from the court’s list of judges by Wednesday.
Judge Benjamin J. Beaton, who is presiding over the lawsuit, denied Woodcock’s request for a temporary restraining order that would’ve prevented Van Tatenhove from working as dean for at least 14 days or until the court reached a final judgment, according to judicial records.
The defendants’ attorney argued that UK’s announcement of Van Tatenhove’s appointment in March did not cause “imminent and irreparable harm,” as Woodcock suggested in his lawsuit.
Beaton asked the parties to update the court on how they want to proceed by Friday.
Woodcock and his attorney, Joe Childers, were not available for comment prior to publication. Van Tatenhove did not respond to the Herald-Leader’s request for comment.
Woodcock claimed the university violated its end of his employment contract by appointing Van Tatenhove as dean. The lawsuit also argues that the law school is at risk of losing its accreditation by the American Bar Association because of the new dean, though DiPaola has pushed back against that assertion.
A “substantial majority” of UK’s law faculty previously told the university’s administration they did not want Van Tatenhove to be dean, according to emails obtained by the Herald-Leader.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday the choice to hire him showed UK was “politicizing its law school.”
After backlash from both faculty and Beshear, Van Tatenhove said in April that he’s been, and will remain, nonpartisan.
“Over 20 years ago, my job description included the requirement that I stay out of partisan politics, and I’ve adhered to that carefully, I’ve adhered to it during the search process and that important value does not end now,” Van Tatenhove said on April 23 at a UK Board of Trustees meeting.
Blanton said UK took broad input about candidates during the hiring process, but not everyone agreed.
“We made a choice that positions our students, the College and the Commonwealth for long-term success,” Blanton said. “As in any process, not everyone agrees, but everyone’s input is taken and considered seriously and with respect.”
Woodcock has an additional lawsuit pending with the court of appeals against the university in attempts to resume teaching at the law school.
This story may be updated as more information becomes available.
