A University of Oregon student filed a federal lawsuit this week claiming the school violated his civil rights and pursued a discriminatory investigation "based solely on his gender" after a female student accused him of sexual assault in 2016.

The lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court filed in Eugene contends the student, identified under the pseudonym John Doe, was not allowed due process during an investigative hearing conducted by the university. Doe was "effectively deprived the right to confront his accuser, to challenge her credibility through meaningful cross-examination, and to present a defense," the lawsuit claims.

The suit also names three university officials – Sandy Weintraub, Carol Millie and former UO Vice President for Student Life Robin Holmes – for leading the investigation to its "predetermined" outcome.

Doe's attorneys, the prominent Portland criminal justice firm Janet Hoffman & Associates, which represented former Gov. John Kitzhaber, say Doe's reputation and academic success "suffered greatly" after the investigation and resulting yearlong suspension. The lawsuit lumps the UO's response into the broader national conversation surrounding sexual assault on campus.

"The university's perceived need to respond to public criticism of colleges' mishandling of claims of sexual assault created an environment that made it impossible for the university's administration to impartially determine the facts," the lawsuit states.

The federal lawsuit is the latest court battle in a case that already has seen a Lane County Circuit Court judge side with Doe in his claims that the school improperly suspended him. A judge overturned the suspension in December, a decision UO appealed but subsequently withdrew after a settlement.

In an emailed statement, the university said it is "dedicated to providing a student conduct process that is fair, neutral and compassionate to all of our students, complainants and respondents. To that end, the university seeks to ensure its processes are fair and equitable to all persons involved.

"The professionals in our conduct office acted in good faith in carrying out our collective responsibility to protect the safety of the campus," it continued. "Accordingly, we will address the plaintiff's allegation in the court proceedings."

The female student, identified as Jane Roe, had accused Doe of sexual assault in February 2016. The students had been consensual sexual partners at a previous point but not at the time of the alleged assault.

According to the lawsuit, Doe consistently denied assaulting Roe and passed four polygraph tests during the university's review process, which the attorneys argue point to his innocence.

The day before the alleged assault, the lawsuit said, Doe came to Roe's aid at her request because she was "highly intoxicated" and concerned she would choke on her own vomit in the middle of the night. She spent the night in Doe's dorm room, but allegedly texted an ex-boyfriend at 3:24 a.m. documenting the alleged sexual abuse.

She claimed Doe kissed her and attempted to grope her through her underwear, according to the lawsuit.

Less than a week later, she filed a sexual misconduct complaint against Doe, who lived in the same dormitory at the time.

The lawsuit, which doesn't list the dollar amount for damages, states that Doe has suffered "monetary damages, emotional distress, loss of educational opportunities, and other direct and consequential damages" as a result of the university's actions.

It's unclear whether Roe notified police. UO has a resource page for victims and survivors of sexual assault, which includes confidential sources and a 24-hour hotline. The school's code of conduct governs the process by which students can accuse others of sexual misconduct, which can result in expulsion, suspension and other discipline.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen