A state judge has dismissed separate lawsuits by former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather against his former employers after a state appeals court threw out his case against CBS Corp. (CBS) last month.

In orders filed Tuesday, New York State Judicial Hearing Officer Ira Gammerman dismissed a revised fraud claim by Rather against CBS and a separate lawsuit by Rather against Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp.'s chief executive, and Andrew Heyward, CBS News's former president, over his departure from the network.

"In view of the decision of the Appellate Division, First Department, dated 9-29-09, the motion to dismiss is granted," Gammerman wrote.

In an unanimous decision last month, the New York State Supreme Court's Appellate Division for the First Department ruled that Rather's claim "must be dismissed in its entirety."

Following the decision last month, Martin R. Gold, a lawyer for Rather, said they plan to ask the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, to review the ruling.

Gary Meyerhoff, another lawyer for Rather, said Wednesday Gammerman's dismissal "is a procedural step that follows from the appellate division's ruling. If the Court of Appeals reverses the Appellate Division, the cases will be reinstated."

Rather has alleged in part that CBS violated his contract by failing to provide him enough air time on "60 Minutes" or "60 Minutes II" after removing him as anchor of CBS Evening News in March 2005 following controversy over a 2004 report about President George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard.

Rather, who first joined CBS News in 1962, also claims CBS conducted a biased investigation - instead of the independent probe it promised - into the underlying story and its production. Rather left the network in June 2006.

CBS declined comment on Wednesday.

-By Chad Bray, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-227-2017; chad.bray@dowjones.com