Many sexual assault victims may fear retribution or harm after filing a suit. Unfortunately, the cases where a victim can file a suit anonymously are limited. Under Rule 10 of the Federal Rules for Civil Procedure, all parties in a civil suit must be named. That includes you, the victim. However, there are some limited cases where the victim may file under a pseudonym. These limited circumstances include: You are suing a government agency You would have to reveal information considered of “the utmost intimacy” You would have to admit to an intention to commit a crime, which would expose you to criminal prosecution Your sexual assault lawyer will not have to prove all three of these conditions exist. Furthermore, a judge may grant anonymity in other cases, often if a minor child is a victim. The judge may respect the desire of a victim to preserve their privacy and the personal details of a sexual assault, as well as the plaintiff’s right to access the justice system without intimidation.