Lewis County paid out $350,000 last May to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation claim filed against the county and superior court by a former court manager.

Records obtained by The Centralia Chronicle shows that former county drug court manager Jennifer Soper reached a settlement with Lewis County and others in May.

Soper filed a tort claim in December 2016 against Lewis County seeking $800,000 in damages.

She accused former Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt of sexually harassing her over a period of nine years and the county of wrongful termination.

In documents, the county said the settlement is a compromise of disputed claims and not an admission of liability.

Hunt on Thursday denied the allegations and told the newspaper he was not in favor of settling the claim.

Hunt had sought an injunction to block the release of the documents. But a Cowlitz County Superior Court judge ordered the release Thursday with some redactions.