Government In Jurisdictional Pickle Over Reverse-False-Claims Action For Unpaid Customs Duties
Client Alert | 1 min read | 06.20.06
The U.S Court of International Trade (CIT), in U.S. v. Universal Fruits & Vegetables Corp. (May 25, 2006), has dismissed for lack of jurisdiction the government's False Claims Act (FCA) lawsuit alleging that defendants who falsified country-of-origin information to avoid customs duties incurred treble damages and civil penalties by knowingly making false statements to decrease an obligation to pay money to the U.S. Because the case was at the CIT only because the Ninth Circuit had previously ruled that the forum originally chosen by the government, i.e., the federal district court for the Central District of California, lacked jurisdiction over this customs-related matter, the government now appears to be left without a forum, unless it appeals the CIT's decision to the Federal Circuit, in which case a conflict of circuits could result, with the Supreme Court eventually being asked to determine the jurisdictional fate of the government's potentially lucrative "reverse-false-claims" theory.
Insights
Client Alert | 5 min read | 08.21.26
FTC Proposes Enforcement Policy Statement on Personalized Pricing: What Businesses Need to Know
On August 19, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed Enforcement Policy Statement on personalized pricing — the practice of companies using consumers’ personal data to set individualized prices, discounts, coupons, or other incentives. The proposed statement, which is open for public comment for 30 days following publication in the Federal Register, marks a major step up in the FTC’s focus on data-driven pricing strategies and puts businesses across industries on notice that undisclosed or inadequately disclosed personalized pricing will not be tolerated. Importantly, while the proposed statement is not a binding legal requirement and does not create new legal obligations, it serves as an enforcement warning that the FTC is prepared to use its existing enforcement authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act (Section 5) and is also a potential harbinger of rulemaking. Businesses that engage in — or are considering — personalized pricing should carefully assess their disclosure practices and data collection procedures against the standards articulated in this statement.
Client Alert | 7 min read | 08.19.26
CMS’s Final Rule Bans Federal Medicaid Funding for Youth Gender-Affirming Care
Client Alert | 2 min read | 08.19.26
