Court Rejects Transgender Plaintiff's Request to Use Chosen Name in Lawsuit
A federal district court in Pennsylvania ruled that a transgender plaintiff, identified legally as Matthew Grinage but using the name Kimberly Davis, must proceed under her legal name in her lawsuit against Surefire Hospitality Group. The plaintiff argued that using her legal name would cause serious and lasting mental health harm. Judge Marilyn Horan denied the request for pseudonymity, citing Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 10(a), which requires transparency and public access to litigants' identities. The court found no evidence of extraordinary harm or danger, noting the plaintiff had publicly used her legal name in employment applications. The ruling emphasized that personal preference does not override the public's interest in knowing the true identity of parties in court, and that Pennsylvania law provides a mechanism for legal name changes, which the plaintiff had not pursued.
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