UNITED STATES EX REL SHELDON v. Washington Legal Foundation; Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America; Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Amici Supporting Appellee. (2022)

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

UNITED STATES EX REL. Deborah SHELDON, Executrix of the Estate of Troy Sheldon, United States of America, ex rel., Plaintiff – Appellant, v. ALLERGAN SALES, LLC, Defendant – Appellee. United States of America; Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund, Amici Supporting Appellant, Washington Legal Foundation; Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America; Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Amici Supporting Appellee.

No. 20-2330

Decided: September 23, 2022

Before GREGORY, Chief Judge, WILKINSON, NIEMEYER, MOTZ, KING, AGEE, WYNN, DIAZ, THACKER, HARRIS, RICHARDSON, QUATTLEBAUM, RUSHING, and HEYTENS, Circuit Judges.

ARGUED: Joshua Yrion Dos Santos, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C., for Amicus United States. Joseph M. Callow, Jr., KEATING, MUETHING & KLEKAMP, PLL, Cincinnati, Ohio, for Appellant. John Patrick Elwood, ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellee. ON BRIEF: Gregory M. Utter, Paul R. Kerridge, Collin L. Ryan, KEATING MUETHING & KLEKAMP PLL, Cincinnati, Ohio; Joel D. Hesch, THE HESCH FIRM, LLC, Lynchburg, Virginia, for Appellant. Michael A. Rogoff, Paula R. Ramer, New York, New York, Jeffrey L. Handwerker, Christian D. Sheehan, ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellee. Brian M. Boynton, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Michael S. Raab, Charles W. Scarborough, Civil Division, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C.; Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Baltimore, Maryland, for Amicus United States. Jacklyn De Mar, TAXPAYERS AGAINST FRAUD EDUCATION FUND, Washington, D.C.; John W. Black, Samuel J. Buffone, Jr., BLACK & BUFFONE PLLC, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund. John M. Masslon II, Cory L. Andrews, WASHINGTON LEGAL FOUNDATION, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Washington Legal Foundation. James C. Stansel, Melissa B. Kimmel, PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND MANUFACTURERS OF AMERICA, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Tara S. Morrissey, Andrew R. Varcoe, UNITED STATES CHAMBER LITIGATION CENTER, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America. John C. O'Quinn, Matthew S. Owen, Matthew D. Rowen, Andrea R. Butler, KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP, Washington, D.C., for Amici Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America.