Jacob Meloan, the former University of Iowa student involved in the FIJI trial for his alleged role in the sexual assault of Makéna Solberg, had his lawsuit dismissed by the courts for failing to follow Iowa rules of service of process.

According to a court filing on Jan. 2, Judge Christopher Bruns dismissed Meloan’s case as Meloan had not properly served the defendants. According to a webpage from the Iowa Judicial Branch, “served” refers to the formal delivery of legal documents to ensure another party is aware of what is happening.

“The court previously entered an order providing that this action would be dismissed by the court as to any defendant who had not been served by December 29, 2023,” Bruns wrote. “The only returns of service on file as of this date indicate Plaintiff has served by ‘posting.’”

He continued by writing that the court would dismiss the lawsuit, with costs incurred taxed to the Meloan.

There were 24 defendants named in the lawsuit, consisting of former UI students, faculty, and friends of Solberg.

Meloan is part of the larger FIJI trial, set to take on Nov. 5 in Tama County after a judge moved the trial from Johnson County. The trial involves former members of the UI chapter of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, more commonly known as FIJI.

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Two former FIJI members, including Meloan, were accused of allegedly sexually assaulting UI student Solberg at a party in September 2020. Court documents allege that Meloan and another former member, Carson Steffen, were involved in the assault.

Lawyers for the defendants requested that the trial be moved to Tama County due to extensive media coverage, a request that Johnson County Judge Kevin McKeever granted.