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HIV Status Allows Plaintiff to Proceed Anonymously
The plaintiff was arrested, told the police he was HIV positive, and they put a pink sign saying HIV POSITIVE INMATE on his cell door in the police lockup (this in 1997!).
The fact that a case involves a medical issue or embarrassing facts is not ordinarily cause for proceeding pseudonymously. However, the plaintiff's HIV status is "a compelling reason for allowing him to proceed under a pseudonym. I believe that in modern society one's HIV-positive status, unlike most other medical conditions, is still considered a stigma." (1129) The plaintiff is not entitled to a protective order requiring his previously filed notices of claim to be placed under seal. See: Roe v. City of Milwaukee, 37 F.Supp.2d 1127 (E.D.Wis. 1999).
The fact that a case involves a medical issue or embarrassing facts is not ordinarily cause for proceeding pseudonymously. However, the plaintiff's HIV status is "a compelling reason for allowing him to proceed under a pseudonym. I believe that in modern society one's HIV-positive status, unlike most other medical conditions, is still considered a stigma." (1129) The plaintiff is not entitled to a protective order requiring his previously filed notices of claim to be placed under seal. See: Roe v. City of Milwaukee, 37 F.Supp.2d 1127 (E.D.Wis. 1999).
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