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Civil Law

Illinois Federal Court Dismisses One False Advertising Suit Based on Malic Acid, While Sustaining Another

A pair of malic acid decisions recently issued by Judge Coleman in the Northern District Court of Illinois reaffirmed that the statements “natural flavors with other natural flavors” and “no artificial flavors” receive different treatment under state false advertising laws, at least in that district.

In Boss v. Kraft Heinz Co., the plaintiffs alleged that Kraft Heinz’s MiO water-flavoring products contained synthetic malic acid, rendering false and misleading the claim “natural flavors with other natural flavors” on the products’ … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Relist-palooza: Religious exercise, the False Claims Act, takings clause, RICO, bank secrecy, and more

The Relist Watch column examines cert petitions that the Supreme Court has “relisted” for its upcoming conference. A short explanation of relists is available here.

This Friday’s conference represents a significant date in the Supreme Court’s schedule: Based on the schedule prescribed by the court’s rules, it is the last conference at which a cert petition can be granted and the case heard during the court’s April sitting. Because it appears that sitting is mostly empty at … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices probe government’s authority to dismiss False Claims Act lawsuits

The Supreme Court heard oral argument on Tuesday in the case of Dr. Jesse Polansky, a whistleblower who had filed a claim on behalf of the government under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provision. The Department of Justice had initially allowed Polansky to proceed with the lawsuit against a company he accused of causing millions of dollars in false Medicare bills to the government, but after several years of litigation sought to force dismissal of the case. At … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices, signaling interest in False Claims Act, are asked to clarify a “knowing” violation

The Petitions of the Week column highlights a selection of cert petitions recently filed in the Supreme Court. A list of all petitions we’re watching is available here.

On Monday, the court asked the government to weigh in on a petition filed earlier this year, about whether it matters that someone accused of “knowingly” defrauding the government under the False Claims Act believes or understands their own conduct was unlawful. Known as a “call for the views of … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices grant review in cases on Bank Secrecy Act and False Claims Act

The Supreme Court on Tuesday morning added two cases — one involving the Bank Secrecy Act, the other involving the government’s power to dismiss fraud claims — to its 2022-23 docket. In a list of orders from the justices’ private conference last week, the justices also turned down – over a dissent from Justice Clarence Thomas that was joined by Justice Samuel Alito – a request from Ohio to reinstate the conviction and death sentence of an inmate who … Read the rest