United States Third Circuit

Submitting fraudulent legal bills for approval to the United States Bankruptcy Court violates the False Claims Act, 31 USC 3729, only when fraudulent claims cause economic loss to the government, and a retaliatory discharge cause of action under 31 USC 3730(h) requires proof that the employee engaged in "protected conduct" and that the employer was on notice of the "distinct possibility" of False Claims Act litigation and retaliated against the employee.

Appellate Information

• Argued 02/08/2001
• Decided 06/13/2001
• Published 06/13/2001

Judges

• Before SCIRICA, McKEE and STAPLETON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Charles T. Hutchins (Argued) Farmingdale, NJ, Appellant, Pro Se., Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, (Argued) Douglas N. Letter, Michael E. Robinson, Washington, DC, Attorneys for Amicus Curiae-Appellant, United States of America.


• For Appellees:
  
• Marianne E. Murphy, (Argued) Tompkins, McGuire, Wachenfeld & Barry, Newark, NJ, Attorney for Appellees, Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, Louis DeLucia, Joan Lavery.