Former television news reporter Jerry Sander has lost the latest round of his lawsuit against former employer WKYT, Lexington's CBS affiliate.

In a ruling Tuesday, the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals declined Sander's request for a rehearing after a three-judge panel ruled 2 to 1 recently in favor of WKYT's parent company. The ruling affirmed a previous one by federal district judge Karl Forester that Sander voluntarily quit after a meeting in February 2008.

Sander had sued, alleging he had not quit and that WKYT used his actions to terminate him for other reasons, including his age.

Reached Wednesday, Sander said he was "disappointed" in the court's refusal to grant a rehearing.

"We fought a dispute that I felt needed to be fought ... that someone needed to stand up for the issues involved," he said.

WKYT officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.