Defective Complaint Can Still Have Preclusive Effect Under FCA's First-to-File Bar
Client Alert | 1 min read | 06.12.13
In U.S. ex rel. Heineman-Guta v. Guidant Corp. (May 31, 2013), the First Circuit weighed in on a jurisprudential split over the FCA's first-to-file bar between courts that hold that the earlier-filed complaint must meet Rule 9(b)'s particularity requirement for pleading fraud in order to have preclusive effect and those that do not. Affirming the dismissal of the relator's claims, the First Circuit joined the D.C. Circuit and other district courts in rejecting the application of Rule 9(b) to the first-to-file bar and holding that dismissal is appropriate so long as the earlier complaint put the government on sufficient notice to initiate an investigation into the alleged fraud.
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Client Alert | 4 min read | 08.27.26
FCC Clarifies Covered List for Power Inverters and Advanced Robotic Devices
On July 28, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its Covered List — established through the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act — to include foreign-produced connected power inverters and advanced robotic devices, following an executive branch national security determination that they “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.” Equipment on the Covered List is ineligible for FCC equipment authorization, effectively prohibiting the import, sale, or marketing of those products without an exception or approval.
Client Alert | 4 min read | 08.27.26
Power Play: New Executive Order Targets Electrical Grid Equipment
Client Alert | 5 min read | 08.26.26
D.C. Circuit Upholds Designation of PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA Hazardous Substances
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