1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 JANE DOE, individually and on behalf of Case No. 3:24-cv-02357-JD all others similarly situated, 8 Plaintiff, ORDER RE PSEUDONYM 9 v. 10 JOYOUS PBC, 11 Defendant.

12 13 Defendant Joyous PBC is an online provider of ketamine treatments for mental health 14 conditions. Dkt. No. 1 ¶¶ 1-2. Plaintiff Jane Doe has sued Joyous PBC on behalf of herself and a 15 putative class for disclosing communications containing protected health information to third 16 parties such as Meta, Google, and Twilio. Doe asks to proceed pseudonymously. Dkt. No. 9. 17 A pseudonym is warranted because the lawsuit concerns Doe’s sensitive and protected 18 health information, including information about mental health conditions, which Doe provided to 19 Joyous PBC for ketamine treatment. Doe expresses a fear of “ridicule and personal 20 embarrassment,” and “significant social and professional stigma,” should her identity be disclosed. 21 Dkt. No. 9 at 2. Doe’s true identity will be disclosed to Joyous PBC, which will eliminate 22 prejudice to it. In these circumstances, Doe may appear in the litigation under a pseudonym. See 23 Does I thru XXIII v. Advanced Textile Corp.,

(9th Cir. 2000). 24 All parties will refer to plaintiff as Jane Doe in all pleadings and other documents related to 25 this litigation, as well as in any proceedings that may be held before the Court. Joyous PBC and 26 its attorneys will not disclose plaintiff’s identity to any other person or entity without the Court’s 27 prior consent. If a situation arises in which disclosure may be necessary to defend against the 1 resolve any disagreements with respect to the procedure. 2 This order may be terminated as warranted by future circumstances. 3 IT IS SO ORDERED. 4 Dated: May 20, 2024 5 6 JAME NATO 7 Unitedf$tates District Judge 8 9 10 11 12

© 15 16

= 17

Z 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28