Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_18-cv-02965/USCOURTS-cand-4_18-cv-02965-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.: Employee Benefits

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JANE DOE,

Plaintiff,

v.

SUN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF 

CANADA,

Defendant.

Case No. 18-cv-02965-HSG 

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S EX 

PARTE MOTION FOR 

ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF TO 

PROCEED UNDER PSEUDONYM

Re: Dkt. No. 3

The Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s ex parte motion to proceed under a pseudonym. See Dkt. 

No. 3. Defendant has not opposed Plaintiff proceeding anonymously.

Generally, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 10(a) requires the title of the complaint to 

“name all the parties,” but “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.” Does I thru XXIII v. Advanced 

Textile Corp., 214 F.3d 1058, 1068 (9th Cir. 2000). Use of a pseudonym may be appropriate 

“[w]here it is necessary . . . to protect a person from harassment, injury, ridicule or personal 

embarrassment.” United States v. Doe, 655 F.2d 920, 922 n.1 (9th Cir. 1980). One such instance 

is “when anonymity is necessary to preserve privacy in a matter of sensitive and highly personal 

nature.” Does I thru XXIII, 214 F.3d at 1068 (internal quotation omitted).

This dispute involves sensitive and personal medical records and diagnoses, which may 

cause Plaintiff injury or embarrassment if released. See Complaint ¶¶ 20–24. Allowing Plaintiff 

to proceed under a pseudonym will result in no prejudice to Defendant, because it has knowledge 

of her identity and access to the sealed administrative record. And Plaintiff’s need for anonymity 

outweighs the public’s interest in knowing her identity, because there is no reason that the public 

Case 4:18-cv-02965-HSG Document 44 Filed 03/11/19 Page 1 of 2
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

needs to connect Plaintiff’s name to the underlying record or the Court’s decisions, and anonymity 

will likely result in fewer documents being sealed from public view.

The Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s motion to proceed under a pseudonym.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated:

______________________________________

HAYWOOD S. GILLIAM, JR.

United States District Judge

3/11/2019

Case 4:18-cv-02965-HSG Document 44 Filed 03/11/19 Page 2 of 2