GRAND RAPIDS – A federal judge is weighing sanctions against Curtis Blackwell II, a former Michigan State University football staffer suing over wrongful termination, for potentially abusing the legal system.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens wanted to know Thursday how the claims that Blackwell and his attorneys made alleging that now-former football head coach Mark Dantonio possibly violated NCAA rules had any bearing on Blackwell's legal claims against the coach and other university officials.

Attorneys for Dantonio argued that monetary sanctions and dismissal of the case are necessary because Blackwell has used the litigation to harm the defendants.

In court filings, Blackwell alleged Dantonio took him to a recruit's home near Detroit although Blackwell wasn't designated to make such visits under NCAA rules. Dantonio also helped secure jobs for a recruit's parents, Blackwell's attorney Andrew Paterson wrote in the court filings.

“How does that aid your case?” Berens asked.

Dantonio said he did not renew Blackwell’s contract because of philosophical differences, said Andrew Paterson, one of Blackwell’s attorneys. He said one potential philosophical difference could be NCAA violations.

Blackwell left MSU in May 2017 after Dantonio let his contract expire. He filed a federal lawsuit in November 2018 against Dantonio, former MSU President Lou Anna Simon, former Athletic Director Mark Hollis and two members of the MSU Police Department, detectives Chad Davis and Sam Miller. He argues he was wrongfully arrested and accused of covering up a sexual assault complaint made against three football players.

Blackwell exercised his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself when being interviewed by MSU Police and in declining to speak with investigators from Jones Day, a law firm MSU hired to assess whether its athletic staff handled the situation with the three accused football players according to university policies. He is alleging that his contract was not renewed because he didn't speak to investigators.

Berens asked if Blackwell had any evidence his contract was not renewed because he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights.

Thomas Kienbaum, one of Dantonio’s attorneys, said none of what Blackwell has stated in court filings addresses his Fifth Amendment claims and said Blackwell only wants to attract media coverage and impugn the reputations of Dantonio and others.

Potential sanctions against Blackwell’s attorneys and Blackwell personally could include monetary fines or even dismissal of the case.

Request for sanctions follows Blackwell's 'abuse of process'

Attorneys for Dantonio and other former university officials asked the judge to sanction Blackwell’s legal team more than $25,000 and to dismiss the case.

Blackwell has not justified his claim that he was retaliated against for exercising his Fifth Amendment rights and only “executed an illegitimate and improper scheme to tarnish Dantonio,” Kienbaum wrote.

“They have misused this court’s processes to do so, through the pretenses of a meritless Fifth Amendment retaliation theory,” Kienbaum wrote. “It is time to stop this abuse of process.”

Both sides are “zealously advocating for their clients” and nothing filed with the court warrants any type of sanctions, Thomas Warnicke, one of Blackwell's attorneys, claimed in court filings.

“Defendants have asserted that plaintiff’s claims and certain filings are subjectively objectionable and/or ill-timed,” Warnicke wrote. “Plaintiff asserts there is nothing that rises to the level of ‘bad faith’ – which is the necessary standard for an award of sanctions.”

Blackwell attorneys say claims are 'meritorious and not libelous'

Blackwell's attorneys have argued they should not be sanctioned for their claims because they are true and are "meritorious and not libelous."

"It is evident that the statements made in plaintiff's filings were factual!" Paterson wrote. "Accordingly, defendants have fallen well short in making a showing of 'bad faith.'"

A photo filed as an exhibit to a February motion from Blackwell's lawyers showed Blackwell, Dantonio, assistant coach Mike Tressel and assistant coach Harlon Barnett along with Daelin Hayes, a potential recruit, at Hayes' home, where they discussed Hayes joining the MSU football program.

Dantonio, Blackwell and the other coaches ate breakfast with Hayes and his mother, La Keshia Neal, on Dec. 7, 2015, Neal said in an affidavit filed in federal court. She said she then took the photo of her son and the MSU coaches.

Blackwell was a friend of the family.

MSU investigating NCAA violation claims against Dantonio

Blackwell's attorneys claimed Dantonio potentially committed perjury during a January deposition. Dantonio said he did not take Blackwell to visit recruits at their homes as it would have violated NCAA rules.

“Dantonio does not recall the particular 2015 visit plaintiff identifies in his submission (Dantonio visited hundreds of recruits during his career),” Kienbaum wrote. “However, travel records reflect that neither Dantonio nor any of the other coaches present drove Blackwell there.”

Dantonio did not authorize Blackwell to be there, Kienbaum wrote.

The MSU Athletics Department has confirmed it is investigating alleged NCAA rule violations.

Contact reporter Craig Lyons at 517-377-1047 or calyons@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @craigalyons.