Fictitious defendants

{
  "id": "MLC-T-LAW-002104",
  "term": "Fictitious defendants",
  "field": "Law",
  "definition": "Placeholder names, such as John Doe or Jane Doe, used in a legal complaint when the plaintiff knows a person should be a party to the lawsuit but does not know their true identity. This practice is used to name additional defendants who may be discovered during the investigation or discovery phase of litigation. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not explicitly provide for Doe defendants, and their use can create complications regarding jurisdiction and statutes of limitation.",
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/law/fictitious-defendants/"
}