UND OB-GYN chair sued for allegedly using own sperm during fertility treatments without patient consent

MINOT, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A University of North Dakota physician is facing a civil lawsuit alleging he secretly used his own genetic material during fertility treatments performed on a patient in Minot in the mid-1980s, without her knowledge or consent.

An amended complaint filed July 27, 2026, in Ward County District Court names Dr. Dennis J. Lutz as the defendant. The three plaintiffs are Jean Ann Nelson, Tasheena Greaves, and Janae Nelson Raymond. According to court documents, Greaves and Raymond are Nelson’s daughters and, DNA testing has since confirmed, the biological daughters of Dr. Lutz.

Dr. Lutz currently serves as chairman of the OB-GYN Department at the University of North Dakota and resides in Albuquerque, N.M.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

According to the amended complaint, Nelson sought fertility care from Dr. Lutz in the mid-1980s at the Medical Arts Clinic in Minot. She consented to artificial insemination procedures using anonymous donor sperm mixed with her husband’s sperm. Dr. Lutz allegedly represented to Nelson that mixing donor sperm with her husband’s sperm would increase the likelihood that her husband’s genetic material would achieve fertilization.

Court documents allege that representation is “generally inconsistent with basic principles of sperm competition and reproductive biology.”

Instead of following the agreed-upon procedure, the lawsuit alleges Dr. Lutz secretly substituted his own sperm during each insemination procedure. Nelson did not consent to the use of Dr. Lutz’s genetic material under any circumstances, according to the complaint.

As a result of the procedures, Nelson became pregnant three times. The first pregnancy ended in miscarriage. The two subsequent pregnancies resulted in the births of Tasheena Greaves on Feb. 14, 1985, and Janae Nelson Raymond on May 22, 1986.

The Discovery

For decades, the truth remained concealed, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs eventually pursued DNA testing, which revealed that Dr. Lutz is the biological father of both Greaves and Nelson Raymond.

The complaint states that DNA testing has also revealed additional individuals identified as potential half-siblings, “suggesting that additional conceptions involving Dr. Lutz’s genetic material may have occurred.” The lawsuit raises “substantial concerns” about whether similar conduct may have affected other patients treated by Dr. Lutz during the same period and throughout his medical practice.

The discovery of the alleged deception caused what the complaint describes as “significant emotional harm, loss of reproductive autonomy, and identity-related injuries” to all three plaintiffs.

The Legal Claims

The amended complaint outlines eight counts against Dr. Lutz:

• Fraud and Fraudulent Concealment - Alleging Dr. Lutz knowingly made false representations to Nelson about the source of the sperm used in her procedures.
• Medical Battery - Alleging Dr. Lutz intentionally caused harmful and offensive contact by inseminating Nelson with his own semen without her consent.
• Breach of Fiduciary Duty - Alleging Dr. Lutz, as Nelson’s treating physician, placed his personal interests above those of his patient in violation of his obligations.
• Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (Nelson) — Alleging Dr. Lutz’s conduct was extreme and outrageous and caused Nelson severe emotional distress.
• Fraud and Concealment of Biological Parentage (Greaves) - Alleging Dr. Lutz intentionally concealed the true identity of Greaves’ biological father, depriving her of knowledge of her genetic identity and medical history.
• Fraud and Concealment of Biological Parentage (Nelson Raymond) - Same allegation as above, applied to Nelson Raymond.
• Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (Greaves and Nelson Raymond) - Alleging both women suffered severe emotional distress upon discovering the truth of their genetic identities.
• Negligence - Alleging Dr. Lutz failed to meet accepted standards of medical practice, including obtaining informed consent and using only reproductive material authorized by the patient.

Damages Sought

The plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $50,000 each, along with interest, costs, and other relief deemed just and proper by the court. The plaintiffs also reserved the right to seek exemplary damages under North Dakota law. A jury trial has been demanded.

Dr. Lutz Responds

Court records show Dr. Lutz filed an answer to the lawsuit on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, through his retained attorney, Angela Elsperger Lord. Valley News Live has not yet been able to obtain the full contents of his response. Valley News Live will retrieve those court documents Wednesday morning and will update this article with Dr. Lutz’s response at that time.