RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 800-656-4673
Update, Sept. 28, 2026: The Tompkins County DA has reopened the criminal investigation and will present the case to a grand jury.
Update, Sept. 30, 2026: The firm released a Statement Regarding Fundraising for Jane Doe
A civil lawsuit filed this month in New York Supreme Court by Thomas Giuffra on behalf of our client accuses seven men who were Cornell University students in 2024 of sexually assaulting a fellow student at a fraternity house in Ithaca. The complaint also names Cornell University, the fraternity’s local chapter and national organization, the plaintiff’s sorority chapter and its national organization, the fraternity chapter’s former president, and a downtown Ithaca bar as defendants.
A 2024 criminal investigation into the same allegations did not result in charges. Since the civil complaint was filed, the Tompkins County District Attorney has said his office will reopen the case and present it to a grand jury. One of the men, through his attorney, denies any wrongdoing.
What the complaint alleges
According to the filing, the 20-year-old plaintiff was heavily intoxicated when she arrived at the fraternity house late on October 19, 2024. The complaint alleges she was given alcohol and drugs inside, taken upstairs, and sexually assaulted over a period of several hours by multiple men. One of the men sent a message to a fraternity group chat that drew others to the room, and a screenshot of that message appears in the 101-page complaint. The plaintiff describes lasting emotional and physical harm.
Ten causes of action are asserted. Against the seven men, the suit claims sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Cornell, the Greek organizations, and the bar face negligence and negligent supervision claims, and Cornell and the sorority are also accused of breach of contract. Cornell alone faces claims under New York’s Human Rights Law and Education Law, and the bar a separate claim under the Dram Shop Act. The plaintiff seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Why a civil case, when prosecutors brought no charges
A criminal case and a civil case ask different questions and apply different standards.
A criminal case is brought by the government to seek criminal punishment for the defendant(s). The district attorney decides whether to bring it, and if it proceeds, the prosecutor must convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt; the highest standard the law imposes.
A civil case is brought by the person who was harmed, seeking compensation for damages. The burden of proof is lower in civil cases, meaning it must be more likely true than not—a standard the law calls a preponderance of the evidence.
For many survivors of sexual abuse, that is the difference between a case and no case at all.
On Seeking Justice
“Our firm has proceeded with many sexual abuse cases in which there was no criminal conviction. We remain skeptical of the investigation that took place, especially due to the egregious nature of this alleged incident. However, just because there are no criminal charges does not mean my client has to accept it as the end of the story.”
The claims against Cornell
The complaint alleges Cornell knew or should have known about drug use at the fraternity and about risks of sexual violence within its Greek system, and that it failed to supervise the students or warn the plaintiff. It notes that police had responded to a drug-related incident at the same house one week before the alleged assault.
Cornell suspended the chapter and the seven students in November 2024 and opened an investigation the following January, holding multiple hearings in May 2025.
Claims like these turn on what the institution knew and when. Incident reports, prior complaints, conduct records, and internal correspondence are usually where that question gets answered, and civil discovery is the mechanism that produces them.
The claim against the bar
The suit also names the bar that the plaintiff visited earlier that night, alleging staff served her alcohol while she was visibly intoxicated and while a hand marking identified her as under 21.
The complaint brings this claim under New York’s Dram Shop Act, which makes a business that unlawfully serves alcohol, including to someone under 21, answerable in some circumstances for injuries that follow. The rule has specific requirements about who can sue and what has to be shown.
Filing without being named publicly
The plaintiff has asked the court to let her proceed under a pseudonym, Jane Doe. New York courts weigh a request like that against the public’s interest in open proceedings, and the practice is common in sexual assault cases.
Anonymity is one of the first questions survivors ask about, and something our firm takes very seriously when filing civil sexual abuse claims.
What this means for survivors considering a civil claim
You do not need a criminal conviction, a criminal charge, or a police report to bring a civil claim. While a criminal case can support a civil claim, it is not necessary to proceed with a civil case.
Survivors who are considering pursuing a civil case against one or more abusers should note that there are time limits to filing a case. While New York and New York City have both recognized that coming forward is complicated and can be a lengthy process, multiple pieces of legislation have passed in recent years to extend the timeframes that someone can bring a suit.
Seeking justice in civil courts sooner rather than later can make a difference when it comes to evidence preservation. Messages, photos, medical records, university conduct files, and the recollections of people who saw you that night are recoverable and become more difficult to obtain with time.
If you were assaulted at a school, a fraternity, or a venue that served you alcohol, a conversation with a lawyer clarifies what options you have and how long you have to take them.
