Civil actions: confidentiality.

Existing law requires a civil action to be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest, except as otherwise provided by statute. Existing law permits a person who has been the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, or elder or dependent adult abuse, to apply to the Secretary of State to participate in an address confidentiality program, as specified. This bill would permit a person who is a participant in the address confidentiality program and a party to a civil action to proceed using a pseudonym and to exclude or redact other identifying characteristics of the person from all pleadings and documents filed in the action, as specified. Parties to the action would be required to use the pseudonym at proceedings open to the public and to exclude and redact other identifying characteristics of the plaintiff from documents filed with the court.