In United States ex rel. Polansky v. Executive Health Resources, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court recently resolved a circuit split[1] by holding that in a False Claims Act (“FCA”) action (1) the Government may seek dismissal of a qui tam case in which it initially declined to intervene over the relator’s objection as long
Corporate & Commercial
FTC Continues Tough “Made in USA” Enforcement Even Where Labeling Rule Is Not Violated
On June 26, the Federal Trade Commission announced a proposed consent order resolving allegations against a group of leather and other clothing accessory companies regarding Made in USA claims in online and print materials and qualified Made in USA claims on product labels. Read on for details about this enforcement action and key takeaways for…
Regional Hospital System and Two Physicians Pay More Than $69 Million to Settle False Claims Act, Involving Allegations of Improper Financial Relationships With Referring Physicians
On March 29, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan granted the parties’ joint stipulation for dismissal in U.S. ex. rel. Godsholl v. Covenant Healthcare, following three settlements of the relator’s claims pursuant to the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729 (“FCA”), the Michigan Medicaid False Claim Act, MCL 400.601,…
Complex AKS/Stark Complaint Survives Rule 9(b) Particularity Challenge – A Guide for FCA Complaints
In U.S. v. Genesis Global Healthcare, 2023 WL 3656925 (S.D. Ga. May 25, 2023), a Georgia district court denied three (3) Motions to Dismiss the Second Amended Complaint filed in a qui tam action brought by relators under the False Claims Act (the “FCA”) and the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act. The court, having previously held…
Real-Estate Agents Who Participate in Joint Ventures Should Be Wary of the CFPB’s Recent Policy Statement on Abusive Conduct
Much has been written about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent “Policy Statement on Abusive Acts or Practices,”[1] in which the Bureau analyzed the prohibition on abusive conduct in the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (CFPA). In response to the statement’s publication in the Federal Register, comments were submitted by banks,…
Home Cooking: Washington Transfers Venue to Court in State
Earlier this year, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma granted Washington state’s motion to intervene to transfer venue to the Western District of Washington in James Siegel, M.D. v. Novo Nordisk, Inc. Relator Dr. Siegel originally filed suit in Oklahoma on February 2, 2015, alleging violations of the Federal False Claims…
CIPA: An Old Statute Provides a New Frontier for Serial Filing Plaintiffs Against Retailers with Online Chat Services
Introduction
If you have ever telephoned a customer support hotline to be greeted with an explanation that “this call may be monitored for quality assurance,” you are familiar with the implications of various state laws governing the recording of telephone conversations. Most states have cold-war era wiretapping laws, with some states providing for two-party consent,…
Disruptive Technology Strike Force Initiates Federal Prosecutions Targeting Trade Secret Theft
In early 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Commerce launched the Disruptive Technology Strike Force to target illicit actors, strengthen supply chains and protect critical technology assets from theft by nation-state adversaries.
Read on to learn about recent federal prosecutions initiated by the Strike Force, targeting theft of trade secrets and…
Supreme Court Rules that District Courts Must Stay Proceedings Pending Interlocutory Appeals of Denials of Motions to Compel Arbitration
On June 23, 2023, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Coinbase, Inc. v. Bielski, No. 22-105, 2023 WL 4138983 (U.S. June 23, 2023), that will provide further protection for parties seeking arbitration. The issue presented to the Court was whether a district court must stay its proceedings while an interlocutory appeal on the question…
Three McGuireWoods Partners Named ‘Influencers in Retail’ by ALM’s GlobeSt.
GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum, an American Lawyer Media publication, has selected McGuireWoods partners Greg Riegle, Chris Thanner and John Visconsi as 2023 Globe St. Influencers in Retail Real Estate. The honorees, all members of the firm’s Real Estate & Land Use Department, were profiled in a May 1, 2023, story.…