D.B.U. v. Trump, 1:25-cv-01163

Petitioners-Plaintiffs, identified only by their initials (D.B.U. and R.M.M.), are seeking to proceed anonymously in a federal civil action in the District of Colorado.
The lawsuit is brought against various U.S. government officials and agencies, relating to matters involving immigration and potential detention.
Plaintiffs have moved for leave to proceed under pseudonyms due to the sensitive and personal nature of their circumstances, emphasizing risk of harm if their identities are disclosed.
The court considered legal precedent and local rules about pseudonymous litigation, especially for vulnerable groups like asylum seekers.
Plaintiffs indicated a willingness to disclose their identities to the government, provided that protections against retaliation and public disclosure are in place.
The court found that the potential prejudice to the government is minimal under these circumstances.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Pseudonymity in pleadings	Anonymity is warranted due to sensitivity and personal danger; disclosure risks harm.	The government would not be prejudiced if identities are disclosed to them, with safeguards.	Court grants motion to proceed under initials, finding anonymity justified given facts.

Femedeer v. Haun, 227 F.3d 1244 (10th Cir. 2000) (establishes standard for pseudonymity in federal court where exceptional circumstances justify anonymity)
Roe v. Cath. Health Initiatives Colorado, 11-cv-02179-WYD-KMT (D. Colo. 2012) (recognizes privacy rights in proceedings with sensitive and personal information)
Doe v. Regents of Univ. of Colorado, 603 F. Supp. 3d 1014 (D. Colo. 2022) (presumption of openness in court proceedings, with exceptions for privacy/sensitivity)