Brian McKnight Makes Bold Move to Catch Jaguar Wright: 'She's Dodging Me'

R&B singer Brian McKnight is asking a California judge to let him serve his defamation lawsuit against fellow artist Jaguar Wright through newspaper ads, claiming she has repeatedly evaded personal delivery.

In court filings, McKnight's attorney Ryan Saba said Wright has ignored multiple attempts at service since May, including six visits to her Phoenix address and a failed certified mail delivery. In some cases, blinds were partially open but no one answered the door. On another occasion, a person inside allegedly denied Wright lived there.

"It is apparent that [Wright] is evading service," Saba wrote. "Service by publication is necessary to provide notice of [McKnight's] complaint."

McKnight filed the lawsuit in April, accusing Wright of making false and damaging statements online, including allegations that he abused his ex-wife, Julie McKnight, and hired sex workers with the intent to harm them. He also disputes Wright's claim that Julie McKnight is her cousin.

Wright, known for making outspoken accusations against high-profile artists such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé, has publicly called McKnight a "scumbag" and vowed to be a "nightmare" for him.

Under California law, if personal service fails and the defendant is believed to be evading notice, a judge can authorize service through publication — typically requiring the notice to run in a local newspaper once a week for four weeks.

The court is expected to decide soon whether McKnight can proceed with the unconventional method, potentially placing the dispute in the public eye through classified ads in The Arizona Republic.