2025-cv-12595

COMPLAINT filed by SS Inc.; Jury Demand. Filing fee $ 405, receipt number AILNDC-24201937.

Schedule A

Ex.1

Ex.2

(Ex.3)

CIVIL Cover Sheet

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff SS Inc. by Ying Chen

MOTION by Plaintiff SS Inc. for leave to file documents under seal

SEALED DOCUMENT by Plaintiff SS Inc. Unredacted Complaint

Schedule A

(Ex.1)

CASE ASSIGNED to the Honorable April M. Perry. Designated as Magistrate Judge the Honorable Beth W. Jantz. Case assignment: Random assignment. (Civil Category 2).

CLERK'S NOTICE: Pursuant to Local Rule 73.1(b), a United States Magistrate Judge of this court is available to conduct all proceedings in this civil action. If all parties consent to have the currently assigned United States Magistrate Judge conduct all proceedings in this case, including trial, the entry of final judgment, and all post-trial proceedings, all parties must sign their names on the attached Consent To form. This consent form is eligible for filing only if executed by all parties. The parties can also express their consent to jurisdiction by a magistrate judge in any joint filing, including the Joint Initial Status Report or proposed Case Management Order.

MAILED Trademark report to Patent Trademark Office, Alexandria VA

MAILED to plaintiff(s) counsel Lanham Mediation Program materials

MINUTE entry before the Honorable April M. Perry: Plaintiff's motion to seal 4 is granted in part. Plaintiff may not seal its own identity in the complaint or use a pseudonym in the case caption. There are no exceptional circumstances that would justify allowing Plaintiff to conceal its own identity. As the Seventh Circuit has explained, "[w]e have repeatedly voiced our disfavor of parties proceeding anonymously, as anonymous litigation runs contrary to the rights of the public to have open judicial proceedings and to know who is using court facilities and procedures funded by public taxes. To proceed anonymously, a party must demonstrate exceptional circumstances that outweigh both the public policy in favor of identified parties and the prejudice to the opposing party that would result from anonymity." Doe v. Village of Deerfield, 819 F.3d 372, 376-77 (7th Cir. 2016); see also Doe v. Loyola Univ. Chicago, 100 F.4th 910, 913 (7th Cir. 2024). Plaintiff's motion identifies circumstances that are common to all "Schedule A" cases, meaning that the circumstances are, by definition, not exceptional. Accordingly, Plaintiff is directed to file an amended, non-anonymous complaint and to change the pseudonym used on the case caption on CM/ECF to the plaintiff's true identity by 10/22/2025. Upon review of the complaint, the Court also sua sponte raises the propriety under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 20(a)(2) of joining 297 defendants to this action. See, e.g, Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. v. Partnerships & Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule A, 334 F.R.D. 182 (N.D. Ill. 2020). Plaintiff should reference this Court's opinion in Zaful v. Schedule A Defs., 24-cv-11111, Doc. 12 (N.D. Ill. Jan. 10, 2025), where the Court expressed its views on joinder. By 10/31/2025, the plaintiff must file a supplemental memorandum addressing the propriety of joinder in light of the above cases and explaining why each defendant is properly joined to each of the other defendants. In the alternative, Plaintiff has leave to file an amended complaint by 10/31/2025 with a smaller subset of defendants along with a memorandum explaining why each defendant is properly joined to all of the others. Finally, Plaintiff is directed to the Court's standing order on its website directing the filing of the Court's Schedule A Template within 14 days. Mailed notice. (jcc,)

MOTION by Plaintiff SS Inc. for leave to file Documents Under Seal

Redacted AMENDED complaint by SS Inc. against SS Inc.

Ex. 1

Ex. 2

Ex. 3

Ex. 4

MINUTE entry before the Honorable April M. Perry: Plaintiff's Motion to Seal [9] is granted. Mailed notice. (jcc,)

Miscellaneous Relief

Miscellaneous Relief

MEMORANDUM by SS Inc. in support of motion for miscellaneous relief 14

(Declaration of James E. Judge)

NOTICE of Motion by James Edward Judge for presentment of motion for miscellaneous relief 13, motion for miscellaneous relief 14 before Honorable April M. Perry on 11/19/2025 at 10:00 AM.

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff SS Inc. by James Edward Judge

MINUTE entry before the Honorable April M. Perry: Plaintiff's motions for Expedited Discovery [13] and Electronic Service of Process [14] are granted. Electronic service of process does not violate any treaty and is consistent with due process because it is an effective way to communicate with an online marketplace defendant. Expedited discovery is warranted to identify Defendant. Because electronic service is being permitted, Plaintiff is directed to effectuate that service within 30 days or to file a status report with the Court within 30 days explaining why it is unable to do so. The Court strikes the motion hearing set for 11/19/2025. Enter order. Mailed notice. (jcc,)

ORDER for Leave to Conduct Expedited Discovery and Service of Process by E-Mail and/or Electronic Publication. Signed by the Honorable April M. Perry on 11/14/2025. Mailed notice. (jcc,)

SUMMONS Submitted (Court Participant) for defendant(s) by Plaintiff SS Inc.

SUMMONS - ERROR UNPROCESSED due to wrong form being used. Please see our updated form on our website: https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_documents/_forms/_online/ao440e.pdf?refresh.

SUMMONS Submitted (Court Participant) for defendant(s) by Plaintiff SS Inc.

SUMMONS Issued (Court Participant) as to Defendant John Doe

NEW PARTIES: OPTICS DEPOT added to case caption. Terminating John Doe

SUMMONS Returned Executed by SS Inc. as to OPTICS DEPOT on 11/5/2025, answer due 11/26/2025.

Declaration of Service