A plaintiff in a civil lawsuit who says a man sexually assaulted her in her apartment but had failed for months to track him down may serve her complaint on lawyers for the defendant’s guardian, a federal judge has ruled.

U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan of the Southern District of New York took note of plaintiff Carmelle Danneman’s repeated unsuccessful efforts to locate her alleged assailant, and found it increasingly appears that he is trying to avoid process of service. The court concluded Danneman may serve her complaint upon the attorney for the defendant’s adoptive father.