Judge Rejects Opera Singer’s Lawsuit Against University of Michigan

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by renowned opera singer David Daniels against the University of Michigan, where he was terminated over allegations of sexual misconduct.

U.S. District Judge Sean Cox ruled that Daniels had waited too long to take legal action, making his claim invalid.

Daniels, 58, joined the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance as a voice professor in 2015 and was granted tenure in 2018. However, an internal investigation found that he had solicited at least three students and sent explicit material to one of them. As a result, he was dismissed in 2020.

Beyond his university employment, Daniels and his husband, Scott Walters, pleaded guilty to sexual assault in 2023 and received probation in Texas. The case stemmed from accusations by a Rice University graduate student who claimed he was drugged and assaulted after meeting the couple at a Houston Grand Opera reception.

Daniels alleged that the university violated his rights during the disciplinary process, but the school denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that he had legal counsel throughout.

In its defense, the university argued in court filings that Daniels’ decision to wait more than three years before filing the lawsuit constituted either “inexcusable neglect” or a calculated legal move.