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
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
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
The Eleventh Circuit recently ruled that the Excessive Fines Clause applies in declined qui tam cases. That is the good news. However, the Eleventh Circuit also upheld a judgment where the ratio of total liability to actual...more
The Eleventh Circuit has become the first federal court of appeals to directly address whether the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause applies to the monetary award in a declined False Claims Act (FCA) case. And in an...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