Seal Violation Does Not Mandate Dismissal, Supreme Court Says
Client Alert | 1 min read | 12.07.16
On December 6, 2016, the Supreme Court in State Farm and Casualty Co. v. U.S. ex rel. Rigsby rejected the argument that a violation of the FCA’s seal requirement — here, disclosure of the allegations of the sealed complaint to the news media by relator’s counsel — mandates dismissal of a relator’s complaint, holding instead that such a determination is better left to the discretion of the district court. The Court reasoned that the FCA is silent as to the remedy for violating the seal provision, whereas it expressly mandates dismissal elsewhere, and that a rule mandating dismissal could harm the government’s interests —which the seal requirement was meant to protect — by depriving the government of assistance from relators on which it relies to prosecute FCA claims.
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Client Alert | 3 min read | 04.22.26
Counterfeiting Litigation Targets Online Marketplaces
The landscape of counterfeiting litigation is shifting in ways that place online marketplace operators at the center of disputes from two directions. Brand owners are escalating efforts to hold platforms liable for counterfeit goods sold through their sites, while some marketplace operators have begun joining brand owners as co-plaintiffs to pursue counterfeiters directly. This dual role has significant implications for how platforms manage their legal exposure and their relationships with brand owners.
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EU Pharma Package: The “Bolar” Exemption Compromise Proposal
