Legal Definitions - Mary Major

Mary Major is a placeholder name, similar to "Jane Doe" or "John Doe," used in legal documents and court proceedings when the true identity of a female party is unknown, needs to be protected, or is being withheld for specific legal reasons.

This practice allows legal proceedings to move forward while safeguarding an individual's privacy, especially in sensitive cases involving minors, victims of crime, or individuals whose safety might be jeopardized if their identity were publicly revealed. It can also be used when a party's identity is genuinely unknown at the time a lawsuit is filed.

Here are some examples of how "Mary Major" might be used:

• Imagine a lawsuit filed on behalf of a minor girl who was the victim of abuse. To protect her privacy and well-being, especially given her age and the sensitive nature of the case, her legal team might refer to her as Mary Major in all court filings. This allows the legal process to proceed against the alleged abuser without publicly disclosing the victim's real name, thereby shielding her from potential media attention or further trauma.

• Consider a situation where a female whistleblower provides critical information about corporate fraud to government investigators. If a lawsuit is subsequently filed based on her testimony, and her identity needs to be kept secret to prevent retaliation from the company, she might be referred to as Mary Major in court documents. This ensures the legal action can move forward to address the fraud while protecting the whistleblower's safety and employment.

• Suppose a group of women files a class-action lawsuit alleging gender discrimination by a large employer, but some potential plaintiffs have not yet been fully identified or have chosen to remain anonymous initially. The initial complaint might list named plaintiffs and then include "Mary Major and other similarly situated individuals" to represent the as-yet-unidentified female victims. This allows the lawsuit to encompass a broader group of affected parties even before all their identities are confirmed or disclosed.