C. v. Uber Technologies, Inc. ( 2023 )

1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 J. C., Case No. 23-cv-04723-JD 8 Plaintiff, ORDER RE PSEUDONYM v. 9 10 UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC., et al., Defendants. 11 12 13 Plaintiff J.C. alleges claims related to a sexual assault in an Uber vehicle. J.C. asks to 14 proceed pseudonymously and for a protective order directing defendants to file under seal any 15 documents stating her true name. Dkt. No. 2. Defendants do not oppose plaintiff’s motion. 16 J.C. has satisfied the controlling test in Does I thru XXIII v. Advanced Textile Corp., 214 17 F.3d 1058 (9th Cir. 2000). She plausibly alleges that she could be subjected to “extreme personal 18 embarrassment and unwanted attention” if her true name is made public, Dkt. No. 2 at 4, and has 19 shown that her “need for anonymity outweighs prejudice to the opposing party and the public’s 20 interest in knowing the party’s identity,” Does, 214 F.3d at 1068. J.C. states that she needs to 21 maintain anonymity because of the stigma that can attach to survivors of sexual assault, and 22 because of the potential for reprisals from her attacker. Dkt. No. 2 at 4. She also states that public 23 disclosure of her identity “could decimate her recovery.” Id. at 5. J.C. will provide her full name 24 to defendants pursuant to the requested protective order. Id. at 6. 25 Consequently, plaintiff may proceed as “J.C.” in all publicly filed court documents. 26 Plaintiff will be referred to as J.C. in all pleadings and other documents related to this litigation, as 27 well as in any proceedings that may be held before the Court. Defendants and their attorneys will 1 disclosure may be necessary to defend against the claims, defendants will meet and confer with 2 || plaintiff on a method of proceeding. The Court will resolve any disagreements with respect to the 3 || procedure. 4 This order may be terminated as warranted by future circumstances. 5 IT IS SO ORDERED. 6 || Dated: September 26, 2023 7 8 JAME NATO 9 United{f tates District Judge 10 11 12 © 15 16 = 17 Z 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28