California · Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC

WIC §6603.7: (a) Except as provided in Section 6603.

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

Courts may use pseudonyms like Jane Doe or John Doe to protect sex offense victims' privacy in proceedings, if doing so won't unfairly prejudice other parties, and must instruct juries about the pseudonym use.

Read the full statutory text

(a) Except as provided in Section 6603.3, the court, at the request of the victim of a sex offense relevant in a proceeding under this article, may order the identity of the victim in all records and during all proceedings to be either Jane Doe or John Doe, if the court finds that the order is reasonably necessary to protect the privacy of the person and will not unduly prejudice the party petitioning for commitment under this article or the person subject to this article. (b) If the court orders the victim to be identified as Jane Doe or John Doe pursuant to subdivision (a), and if there is a jury trial, the court shall instruct the jury at the beginning and at the end of the trial that the victim is being so identified only for the purposes of protecting his or her privacy.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

Start your matter free Ask Law Link about this code

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.