Tim Ballard Lawsuit Dismissed Over Evidence Issues

A Utah judge dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit against Tim Ballard, founder and former CEO of Operation Underground Railroad, and the organization itself, after determining that plaintiff Celeste Borys improperly obtained key evidence by accessing Ballard’s private emails and documents post-employment. Judge Todd Shaughnessy called Borys’ conduct intentional and likened it to breaking into Ballard’s office for privileged documents, criticizing her attorneys for circumventing civil procedure. The dismissal was issued on procedural grounds and did not address the merits of the sexual misconduct allegations. Ballard’s legal team described the case as a smear campaign and emphasized that the ruling does not exonerate or condemn the underlying claims. Borys’ legal team expressed disappointment and announced plans to pursue related claims in federal court. The dismissal prevents Borys from refiling the same claims in Utah state court.