The public generally has a right to access court records, including in civil cases—a right that is intended to "protect[] the public's ability to oversee and monitor the workings of the Judicial Branch." And this right extends to knowing the names of the parties:
[L]awsuits are public events and the public has a legitimate interest in knowing the facts involved in them. Among the facts is the identity of the parties. We think that as a matter of policy the identity of the parties to a lawsuit should not be concealed except in the unusual case.
"The Court is a public institution and the public has a right to look over our shoulders and see who is seeking relief in public court." (All quotes are from various federal court opinions on the subject; for citations and more, see here.)
