I’m filing a civil case pro se in Maine Superior Court and including a motion to proceed under a pseudonym.
My initial filing used initials, and the clerk did not reject that format. The filing was returned for unrelated procedural issues (signatures, summary sheet, notarization).
Before resubmitting, I’m considering switching from initials to “Jane Doe” as the pseudonym and want to make sure that won’t create a new issue.
My questions:
In practice, are courts or clerks more likely to accept initials than “Jane Doe” at the filing stage?
If using “Jane Doe,” is it acceptable to sign pleadings as “Jane Doe” under Rule 11, or is a full legal signature typically expected even when the court has the real identity in separate forms?
I’m not trying to avoid identifying myself to the court — my real name is included in CV-001 / CV-067 / CV-191 and I’m filing a motion for pseudonym use.
I just want to avoid having the filing rejected again over formatting or signature issues.
Any Maine-specific or practical experience appreciated.