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Who is the Jane Doe named in the lawsuit against Donald Trump and has her identity been revealed in court records?
Executive summary
A 2016 federal civil suit filed anonymously as “Jane Doe” accused Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein of raping a 13‑year‑old; that case was voluntarily dismissed before proceeding to trial (see court filing and press coverage) [1] [2]. Available sources do not identify a real name for that Jane Doe in public court records; reporting notes she used pseudonyms and canceled a planned public appearance amid threats [1] [3] [2].
1. The allegation and the anonymous plaintiff
In 2016 a plaintiff proceeding under the pseudonym “Jane Doe” filed a federal complaint accusing Trump and Jeffrey Epstein of sexual assault when she was a minor; the complaint and docket entries list the case and filings under that pseudonym [1] [4]. Courthouse News and The Guardian summarized the allegations and said the plaintiff alleged rape at age 13, describing multiple incidents in the complaint [5] [6]. People reported the plaintiff’s legal team voluntarily dismissed the suit on November 4, 2016 [2].
2. Public court records and the question of identity
Public docket summaries and a copy of the notice of voluntary dismissal show the lawsuit was filed under a pseudonym and ended without a trial; the Scribd copy of the dismissal is an available filing that uses “Jane Doe” not a real name [1]. CourtListener’s docket listing likewise catalogues the complaint and related filings as submitted by “Jane Doe,” with no listed real‑name identification in those public entries [4]. Therefore, based on these public filings, the court record available in the provided sources does not reveal her true identity [1] [4].
3. Media reporting, canceled press plans and threats
Reporting at the time noted the plaintiff planned a Los Angeles press conference that was canceled; her attorney Lisa Bloom said the woman had received threats, and that contributed to the case’s visibility even as it remained litigated under a pseudonym [3] [2] [7]. The Guardian and Courthouse News covered both the claims and the cancellation, and mentioned efforts by publicists and others that raised questions about how the matter was being promoted — reporting that introduces competing interpretations about motive and organization behind the case [6] [5].
4. Disposition of the lawsuit and legal status
The People report and the notice of voluntary dismissal show the plaintiff dismissed the action without prejudice under Federal Rule 41(a)[8](A)(i) — meaning the filing was withdrawn and did not produce a judicial finding on the merits [2] [1]. Wikipedia’s summary of Trump‑related allegations similarly states the suit was dropped on November 4, 2016 [3]. Because the case did not proceed to adjudication, there is no judicial determination from that docket confirming or rejecting the allegations in the public record [1] [2].
5. Competing perspectives and reporting caveats
The reporting includes direct denials: Trump’s lawyer Alan Garten publicly called the allegations “categorically untrue, completely fabricated and politically motivated” in contemporaneous coverage [5] [2]. Separately, investigative reporting (e.g., The Guardian) relayed skepticism about the origins and promotion of the claim, noting individuals associated with publicity efforts and previously disputed claims — this presents an alternative framing to the plaintiff’s account [6]. Available sources do not include evidence in the public record proving the plaintiff’s identity or independently corroborating the central factual assertions beyond the complaint itself [1] [6].
6. What the current sources do and do not say
Public court filings in the provided materials show an anonymous plaintiff filing and then dismissing a claim under the name “Jane Doe,” and media outlets at the time reported on the allegations and dismissal [1] [2] [6]. The provided sources do not publish a real name tied to that Jane Doe in the court records; therefore any claim that a legal filing has revealed her identity is not found in current reporting or the cited filings [1] [4]. If you seek further confirmation beyond these sources, court dockets, official clerk filings, or subsequent investigative reporting would be the places to check; available sources here do not mention further developments that identify her [4] [1].
Sources cited above: court filings/docket entries [1] [4], contemporary news coverage (People, Courthouse News, The Guardian) and summary reporting (Wikipedia) [2] [5] [6] [3].