So far this year, three False Claims Act defendants have challenged judgments against them based on the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment. Remarkably, two were successful, as the District of Minnesota more than...more
For years, FBAR litigants have made the commonsense argument that large willful FBAR penalties, which can exceed the value of the unreported foreign accounts themselves, violate the excessive fines clause of the Eighth...more
The Situation: The False Claims Act ("FCA") imposes treble damages on defendants, as well as mandatory penalties per false claim. Because alleged false claims often involve much smaller amounts—for example, in cases with a...more
In the high-stakes realm of False Claims Act (FCA) litigation per-claim penalties can reach daunting levels that dwarf even treble damages. A recent ruling from the Eighth Circuit Court provides valuable guidance on the...more
On February 8, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota ruled that a $487 million False Claims Act (FCA) damages award entered last year against Precision Lens and its co-founder violated the Eighth Amendment’s...more
In Tyler v. Hennepin County, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court concluded that the State of Minnesota violated a property owner's constitutional rights by keeping the excess proceeds from a tax lien sale. Geraldine Tyler owned a...more
“The taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but no more.” Tyler v. Hennepin County, No. 22-166, Slip Op. at 14 (May 25, 2023) - Less than a month after oral argument, the United States Supreme Court ruled...more
There are multiple components to the risk defendants must consider when faced with going to trial for a matter involving the False Claims Act (FCA). Setting aside the incalculable impact that litigation can have on business...more
The Ninth Circuit recently affirmed the denial of the United States’ second motion for preliminary order of forfeiture of the Mongol Nation’s trademarks. The Ninth Circuit held that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt...more
Key Points The volume of new False Claims Act (FCA) case filings remained high in 2021, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) collected more than $5.6 billion in settlements and judgments — the second-largest annual total in...more
A defendant who violates the FCA can be liable for treble damages plus a civil penalty of $5,500 to $11,000 (adjusted for inflation) for each false claim. Meanwhile, FCA lawsuits often involve tens of thousands of alleged...more
In late December, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued its decision in Yates v. Pinellas Hematology & Oncology, P.A. The appellate court affirmed the district court’s imposition of damages and...more
Former Theranos CEO Convicted of Defrauding Investors - Elizabeth Holmes, founder and former CEO of blood testing start-up Theranos, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy and three counts of wire fraud for her...more
On March 18, 2021, retailer Union Square Supply, Inc. filed a civil rights class action lawsuit in the Southern District of New York challenging New York City’s price gouging enforcement practices. The complaint alleges that...more
As more and more states are allowing legal use of marijuana, medical marijuana businesses are faced with large tax bills because of marijuana’s continued classification as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. ...more
Cities and towns have become increasingly aggressive in their efforts to avoid blight resulting from vacant and foreclosed properties and enforce the state and local sanitary codes. At what point does a valid code violation...more
On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision on the Eighth Amendment’s excessive fines clause. In Timbs v. Indiana, 2019 DJDAR 1337, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg authored a unanimous decision holding that...more
In a ruling that significantly curbs the power of state and local law enforcement authorities to seek forfeiture of assets connected to criminal activity, the U.S. Supreme Court recently held that the Eighth Amendment’s...more
New Decisions, New Investigations, and More- It’s been an unusually busy month for public law! Here are your highlights: Colorado General Assembly heats up. Attorney Chris Jackson was interviewed on Next with Kyle Clark...more
Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Timbs v. Indiana that the prohibition on excessive fines in the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is incorporated against the States by the Fourteenth Amendment. ...more
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in the case of Timbs v. Indiana, which presents the issue of whether the prohibition on excessive fines in the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is incorporated...more
This fall, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear argument in Timbs v. State of Indiana, one of the most anticipated cases this term. At issue is whether the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against excessive fines applies to state...more
The False Claims Act authorizes civil penalties between $10,781 to $21,563 per false claim, as well as three times the amount of damages which the government sustains (i.e. treble damages). The Eighth Amendment provides that...more
Elizabeth Young is a 72-year-old grandmother whose home and car the government sought to forfeit based on several relatively minor drug sales her adult son conducted out of the house and car. Young fought the forfeiture and...more
On June 30, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced an interim final rule almost doubling per-claim penalties under the False Claims Act (“FCA”). The FCA still imposes treble damages for government losses in...more