Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_24-cv-01375/USCOURTS-caed-2_24-cv-01375-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

A.G.,

Plaintiff,

v.

COUNTY OF SISKIYOU, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:24-cv-01375 CKD

ORDER

Plaintiff filed this civil rights action on May 10, 2024, alleging child abuse by a foster and 

adoptive parent. (ECF No. 1.) Plaintiff has filed a motion to proceed by the pseudonym “A.G.” in 

place of her true and correct name. (ECF No. 2.) For the reasons below, plaintiff's ex parte

motion to proceed by pseudonym is GRANTED, subject to reconsideration when defendants 

appear in this action.

I. Legal Standard

While the presumption in litigation is that parties must use their real names, courts permit 

parties to proceed anonymously when special circumstances justify secrecy.1 Does I thru XXIII v. 

1 This presumption is loosely related to the public’s right to open courts and the right of private 

individuals to confront their accusers. Doe #3 v. California, 2023 WL 3996476, at *1 (E.D. Cal. 

June 14, 2023) (citing Doe v. Kamehameha Sch./Bernice Pauahi Bishop Est., 596 F.3d 1036, 

1042 (9th Cir. 2010)).

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Advanced Textile Corp., 214 F.3d 1058, 1067 (9th Cir. 2000). The Ninth Circuit has held a party 

may proceed with a pseudonym “in the ‘unusual case’ when nondisclosure of the party's identity 

‘is necessary ... to protect a person from harassment, injury, ridicule or personal embarrassment.’”

Id. at 1067-68 (quotation and citation omitted). “[A] party may preserve his or her anonymity in 

judicial proceedings in special circumstances when the party’s need for anonymity outweighs 

prejudice to the opposing party and the public's interest in knowing the party's identity.” Id. at 

1068. “Courts have generally permitted plaintiffs to proceed anonymously when their claims 

involved allegations of sexual assault or rape.” Doe v. Rose, 2016 WL 9137645, at *1 (C.D. Cal. 

June 17, 2016) (collecting cases).

II. Discussion

Plaintiff requests to proceed by the pseudonym “A.G.” in place of her true and correct 

name because this action involves allegations of child sexual abuse and assault while in foster 

care. (ECF No. 2 at 1.) (See e.g., ECF No. 1 at ¶ 18, “During Plaintiff’s time at the Gottlieb 

household, beginning at about age 5, Plaintiff was physically and sexually assaulted/abused by 

Shane Gottlieb as defined by the Penal Code.”) Due to the highly sensitive and personal nature of 

the child sexual abuse and assault issues raised in the complaint, plaintiff states disclosure of her 

identity would raise serious risk of physiological and emotional harm. (Id. at 2.) Plaintiff

indicates her identity will be disclosed to Defendants during this litigation, including during pretrial discovery. (Id.) 

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At this stage of the proceedings, the Court finds good cause to grant the ex parte motion 

based on the allegations at issue. Doe, supra, 2016 WL 9137645, at *1. The Court finds that the 

need for anonymity in this case outweighs countervailing considerations at this time. The Court 

will reconsider the issue should defendants object once they have appeared in this action. See 

Jane Doe #2 v. State of California, et al., 2023 WL 3956475, at *2 (E.D. Cal. June 12, 2023).

ORDER

Accordingly, it is HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff's ex parte motion to proceed by 

pseudonym (ECF No. 2) is GRANTED, subject to reconsideration once defendants have appeared 

in this action.

Dated: May 20, 2024

4, ag1375.24

_____________________________________

CAROLYN K. DELANEY

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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