- A federal bankruptcy judge granted The Frazer School a preliminary injunction protecting its rights to the Gainesville building during ongoing litigation.
- The ruling stops Newberry Christian Community School Inc. and the Schraders from transferring or encumbering the building pending further trial.
- The Frazer School plans to proceed with its third academic year after opening in fall 2024 with over 300 students and winning multiple championships.
A federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday granted The Frazer School, an independent K-12 school, a preliminary injunction that temporarily protects the school’s claimed rights to its building at 4700 NW 89th Blvd. in Gainesville while a legal dispute continues.
According to a Frazer School press release, U.S. Bankruptcy Chief Judge Karen K. Specie of the Northern District of Florida found that the school met the four factors required for preliminary injunctive relief under Eleventh Circuit law. Those requirements include a likelihood of success on the merits, likelihood of irreparable harm, balance of equities and hardships and public interest.
“The majority of the purpose of a preliminary injunction is to maintain the status quo between the parties while the rest of the case is playing out,” Specie said during Wednesday’s hearing, which was moved virtually due to A/C issues at the U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse in Tallahassee. “And it appears necessary to enter this type of preliminary injunction to do just that. To maintain the status quo.”
The ruling prevents the defendants – Newberry Christian Community School Inc. (NCCS) and James and Rachel Schrader – “from further transferring, dissipating, mortgaging, or otherwise encumbering the building while the adversary proceeding continues,” according to the release.
The court relied primarily on the Dec. 17, 2025, school transition and asset purchase agreement between the parties, the release said, as well as sworn statements submitted by the defendants.
Bankruptcy attorney Steve Berman, of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, who is representing The Frazer School on a pro bono basis after the school filed for bankruptcy on June 12, said in the release that the decision by the court means, “The Frazer School remains in its home.”
NCCS filed a complaint on May 29 in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court in Alachua County seeking to evict The Frazer School from its building over alleged unpaid rent and mortgage payments.
A contract for the building, also known as the Hudson Building, was signed in November 2024 by then-Frazer School owner James Schrader, with the school planning to expand from its original building at 1520 NW 34th St. in Gainesville, formerly Cornerstone Academy.
Michael Moody, outside counsel for the Schraders and NCCS, said during the hearing that his clients believe “there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the facts here by the debtor [The Frazer School].”
“We completely disagree with the allegations they’ve made against Mr. Schrader, and we’ve spent hundreds of hours looking into the case,” he said. “We think that at the end of the day, this is not a case about fraud.”
Moody declined Mainstreet’s request for comment after the July 15 ruling.
School officials said the ruling allows The Frazer School to move forward with plans for its third academic year. The school for competitive academics opened in fall 2024 with just over 300 students enrolled. The Frazer School has seen rapid growth since then, winning numerous championships in various team-based competitions at the state and national levels.
Most recently, the school’s math team won its second straight Mu Alpha Theta national championship.
“We are grateful to Judge Specie for her protection of our students, teachers, and families,” said Will Frazer, founder of The Frazer School, in the release. “The Frazer School is here to stay, in Gainesville.”
The release states that the bankruptcy court will consider further evidence at a trial on Aug. 18. The trial will be held at 10 a.m. at the U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse (110 E. Park Ave., Tallahassee).
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.