EAST LANSING, Mich. — Former Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker is at the center of a legal battle as efforts to serve him with a lawsuit have been stymied by his apparent disappearance. The lawsuit, initiated by Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor and advocate who alleges Tucker harassed her while she was working with his team, has stalled due to difficulties locating Tucker to formally notify him of the case.
Tracy’s lawyer has made numerous attempts to contact Tucker through certified mails to his known addresses, including his East Lansing home which he reportedly still owns, only to have them returned undelivered with no forwarding address. Legal representatives for Tucker have also refused to accept the lawsuit on his behalf, intensifying the challenge to proceed with the case.
In an effort to push the case forward, Tracy engaged a process server who attempted to personally deliver the lawsuit to Tucker at his East Lansing residence. However, the server discovered through discussions with a local UPS driver that Tucker has not resided there since undergoing a recent divorce, with his ex-wife and former mother-in-law now living at the property.
The case has entered a complex phase as Tucker’s avoidance seems to delay the proceedings deliberately. Such tactics can complicate matters for defendants because ignoring legal actions can lead to default judgments against them. Tracy’s legal team has asked Ingham County Court to intervene, which could allow the lawsuit to proceed in his absence if deemed necessary by the judge.
Though Tucker has not publicly countered Tracy’s claims, he acknowledged the existence of the lawsuit in a separate federal case challenging his dismissal from the university. This action suggests his awareness of the allegations but does not constitute a formal legal response.
Tracy’s lawsuit details allegations against Tucker, asserting that he defamed her by falsely claiming a consensual relationship and sexually harassed her, contrary to the university’s findings. Moreover, she accuses him of breaching a contract and interfering with her work as an advocate against campus sexual violence. She includes losing contracts and cancellation of scheduled appearances due to the ensuing scandal, which impacted her professional standing and advocacy work.
This situation highlights the ongoing issues surrounding legal accountability and the complications that can arise when a defendant avoids participating in the judicial process. The outcome of Tracy’s motion in Ingham County Court could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled when parties implicated in the lawsuits evade service.
As the case develops, the implications for both Tucker’s career and Tracy’s advocacy work are profound, not only affecting their personal and professional lives but also influencing wider discussions about accountability and harassment in collegiate sports and beyond.
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