A former University of Washington sorority member who says she was raped by a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity member in November 2022 has sued the university, alleging it failed to protect her despite already knowing about her attacker's documented history of sexual misconduct. The lawsuit names both the University of Washington and Wyatt O'Hara, the former student who pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in connection with the assault.
Seattle law firm Hagens Berman filed the civil complaint on behalf of the anonymous plaintiff, identified in court filings only as A.P., in King County Superior Court, with trial currently scheduled for October 18, 2027, according to MyNorthwest. As The Seattle Times reports, the student was a freshman sorority member when she attended a Pi Kappa Phi-hosted brunch on November 19, 2022, that included alcohol, followed by a tailgate party where O'Hara allegedly gave her alcohol until she could not stand or finish a sentence.
The lawsuit alleges O'Hara then raped the student while she was unconscious and immobile in his fraternity-house room. Several students reportedly gained access through a locked door and observed that she was impaired, per the same account. O'Hara pleaded guilty on November 22, 2024, to third-degree rape and served jail time, the station's report notes.
Prior Protection Order at the Center of the Claim
Central to the lawsuit is the allegation that UW knew about an earlier restraining order filed against O'Hara.
The lawsuit claims O'Hara was subject to a high school protection order barring him from attending parties with another female student who also later enrolled at UW, yet Pi Kappa Phi still permitted him to host alcohol-centered events with female students, per the complaint detailed by MyNorthwest. The suit argues UW should not have allowed O'Hara to join the fraternity or attend such events given that history.
UW spokesperson Victor Balta disputed the characterization of the university's knowledge, saying the protection order preceded both individuals' enrollment and was no longer in effect when they began attending UW. Balta said the university knew of no active court-approved restraining or protection orders when O'Hara enrolled, according to the Seattle Times report. Balta added that UW is committed to preventing sexual assault and responding in a trauma-informed and compassion-forward manner.
The university says it launched an investigation and student disciplinary proceeding after the rape and ultimately withdrew O'Hara permanently, meaning he cannot reenroll at UW. Hagens Berman attorney Steve Berman said UW should take responsibility for protecting students in its Greek system, which he said benefits the university as a revenue source and a calling card for applicants.
A New State Supreme Court Precedent
The lawsuit leans heavily on a landmark Washington Supreme Court ruling issued in July 2026. In a 5-4 decision in Martinez v. Washington State University, the court found that WSU owed Sam Martinez a duty of care in the specific context of its relationship with Gamma Chi and the fraternity's alcohol and hazing misconduct, as reported by Courthouse News.
That case stemmed from the 2019 death of WSU freshman Sam Martinez, who died of acute alcohol intoxication following a fraternity hazing ritual. Writing for the majority, Justice Sal Mangia noted that fraternity houses are “fertile ground for abusing alcohol,” according to the outlet's coverage, establishing that WSU owed Martinez a duty of care because of its special relationship with fraternity organizations.
Berman said the alleged conduct at issue in the UW case is not an isolated problem confined to any one campus. He pointed to a separate case at Cornell University in making that argument.
UW's Pi Kappa Phi Chapter and Oversight Rules
The UW chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, known as the Alpha Delta Chapter, was founded on campus on February 23, 1924, and currently maintains more than 100 active members, according to the UW Interfraternity Council. The national Pi Kappa Phi organization has faced disciplinary scrutiny at other campuses in recent years, including Hoodline's coverage of the University of Houston dissolving its chapter in November 2025 over hazing.
With trial set for October 2027, the case is expected to test how far the Martinez precedent extends to universities' obligations to screen and monitor individual fraternity members with documented histories, rather than just the organizations themselves.
