Doe v. United States Air Force et al

Filing 7

SHOW CAUSE ORDER on or before 7/25/2007, pla is ORDERED to SHOW GOOD CAUSE why he has a substantial privacy right as set out. Signed by Judge R David Proctor on 7/18/2007. (KSS, )

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Doe v. United States Air Force et al Case 2:07-cv-00842-RDP Document 7 Filed 07/18/2007 Page 1 of 2 FILED 2007 Jul-18 PM 03:17 U.S. DISTRICT COURT N.D. OF ALABAMA Doc. 7 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA SOUTHERN DIVISION JOHN DOE, Plaintiff, v. THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, et al., Defendants. } } } } } } } } } } Case No.: 2:07-cv-00842-RDP SHOW CAUSE ORDER Pending before the court is May 7, 2007 Plaintiff's Complaint, filed anonymously by "John Doe" who is identified only as a "former Intelligence Analyst." (Doc. # 1, at 2). Plaintiff's complaint requests that this court "protect" him and allow him to proceed anonymously for a period of at least sixty (60) days following the filing of his complaint. (Doc. # 1, at 2). As of the date of entry of this order, that 60-day period has expired. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 10(a) requires a complaint to "include the names of all the parties." Fed. R. Civ. P. 10(a). As the Eleventh Circuit has explained, "[g]enerally, parties to a lawsuit must identify themselves in their respective pleadings . . . . [because] the requirement of disclosure 'protects the public's legitimate interest in knowing all of the facts involved.'" Roe v. Aware Woman Center for Choice, Inc., 253 F.3d 678, 684-85 (11th Cir. 2001) (quoting Doe v. Frank, 951 F.2d 320, 322 (11th Cir. 1992)). Nonetheless, courts have carved out a limited number of exceptions to the general requirement of disclosure, which permit plaintiffs to proceed anonymously. "The ultimate test for permitting a plaintiff to proceed anonymously is whether the plaintiff has a substantial privacy right which outweighs the customary and constitutionally- Dockets.Justia.com Case 2:07-cv-00842-RDP Document 7 Filed 07/18/2007 Page 2 of 2 embedded presumption of openness in judicial proceedings." Frank, 951 F.2d at 323 (internal quotation and citation omitted). The Eleventh Circuit has noted, however, that "no published opinion that we are aware of has ever permitted a plaintiff to proceed anonymously merely because the complaint challenged government activity." Aware Woman Center for Choice, Inc., 253 F.3d at 686. Accordingly, on or before July 25, 2007, Plaintiff is ORDERED to SHOW GOOD CAUSE why he has a substantial privacy right which outweighs the customary and constitutionallyembedded presumption of openness in judicial proceedings such that this court should permit him to remain anonymous. DONE and ORDERED this 18th day of July, 2007. ___________________________________ R. DAVID PROCTOR UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 2

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