Substantial Penalties Under the FCA Without Real Damages Violates Eighth Amendment
Client Alert | 1 min read | 02.23.12
Using reasoning that could prove useful to other FCA defendants, the court in U.S. ex rel. Bunk v. Birkart Globistics GmbH & Co. (E.D. Va. Feb. 14, 2012), after the jury found over 9,000 false claims based on invoices submitted, refused to award statutory penalties of between $50.2 and $100.4 million. The court held that, when the qui tam relator failed to show that the government suffered any damage, imposing penalties of this magnitude would have violated the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause and, because it lacked discretion under the FCA to fashion a civil penalty that would be within Constitutional limits, no penalties could be imposed.
Insights
Client Alert | 12 min read | 03.10.26
On 26 February 2026, the EU published Directive (EU) 2026/470 (the Omnibus I Directive). Adopted as part of the European Commission's (Commission) simplification agenda and after a year of debates and negotiations between the Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament, this text effectuates far-reaching changes to both the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D).
Client Alert | 15 min read | 03.06.26
Client Alert | 6 min read | 03.06.26
Tri-Agencies Release Fourth Mental Health Parity Report to Congress
Client Alert | 4 min read | 03.05.26
