As legal battles continue regarding the sexual misconduct case that led to the firing of Mel Tucker, the former Michigan State football coach recently responded to a civil lawsuit in Ingham County’s 30th Judicial Circuit Court.

Tucker and his legal team answered April 8 to the civil complaint filed by Brenda Tracy, an advocate and rape survivor who worked with Tucker’s Michigan State football team. In his response, Tucker claims that the relationship between the two parties was “consensual” and he denied all wrongdoing.

A scheduling conference hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, presided over by the Hon. Wanda M. Stokes.

Tucker is represented by Carrie J. Koerber and Austin A. Zima of Abood Law Firm. Tracy is represented by Karen Truszkowski of Temperance Legal Group.

In October 2023, just short of a month after firing Tucker, a Michigan State investigation determined Tucker had sexually harassed Tracy while she worked with his football team.

Tracy is a rape survivor and activist who speaks with college athletics teams about sexual assault. In December 2022, she filed a complaint with MSU against Tucker that accused him of making sexual comments and masturbating without her consent during an April 2022 phone call. Tucker said their relationship and the phone call were both consensual.

Tracy’s civil suit, filed in October 2024, alleges that Tucker defamed her by calling their relationship consensual, and that Tucker breached a contract by cancelling her appearance to speak with his team. She also claims the scandal caused her to lose other contracts.

In a 55-page response to the complaint, Tucker maintained that the relationship was consensual and claims that “there were never any contracts executed for future speaking engagements.” He also claims that any cancellation of Tracy’s other contracts is “likely the result of (Tracy’s) own conduct or statements.”

Tucker’s response also alleges that Tracy violated confidentiality obligations of Michigan State’s relationship violence and sexual misconduct policy, which Tracy’s allegations were investigated under by the university. He alleges that Tracy “handpicked” a reporter, USA Today’s Kenny Jacoby, and provided them with the 1,200-page investigation file.

For weeks, the suit stalled because Tucker couldn’t be found to be served legal documents. After attempting to serve Tucker at multiple addresses via mail and a process server, and even trying to serve him through his lawyers, Truszkowski obtained an order of alternate service in March. The court received proof of service April 4.