October Term 2015 · Docket 15-7
Does a false certification of compliance make a claim fraudulent?
The dispute centers on whether a claim is fraudulent if it omits a known violation of a material payment condition.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
the side that brought the case argued the statute requires explicit false statements. It cited the unchanged language from 1863.
The government argued a claim is fraudulent if it omits a known material breach. It cited the duty to disclose violations.
Justice Breyer questioned if common law contract principles apply to this statutory interpretation.
Justice Kagan posed a hypothetical involving an explicit contract term requiring doctor care.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 42-20 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 42-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-20 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 32-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-36 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 36-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 40-42 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 40-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 12-40 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 12-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 18-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 18-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 48-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-36 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 6-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 50-36 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 50-36
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of the False Claims Act. It asks if a claim is false when it fails to disclose a known breach of a material contract term.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 46-46
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 19, 2016.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-20 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 5-7
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the lower court finding overturned. It argues the statute requires an explicit false statement.
The government wants the lower court finding upheld. It argues a claim is fraudulent if it omits a known material breach.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 46-46
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the statute targets explicit false statements. It contends common law contract principles do not apply here.
The government argues a claim is false if it omits a known violation. It contends this omission renders the claim fraudulent.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 46-46
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked if an implicit assumption of doctor-provided services could be a material breach.
Justice Kagan asked if an explicit term requiring doctor care changes the analysis of a false claim.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 42-20 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 42-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 32-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-36 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 36-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 40-42 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 40-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 12-40 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 12-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 18-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 18-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 48-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-36 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 6-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 50-36 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 50-36
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between a valid claim and a fraudulent one. It determines when silence about a breach constitutes fraud. The outcome shapes how companies report compliance to the government. It affects the financial liability of businesses in federal contracts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 46-46
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 42-20 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 42-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-20 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 32-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-36 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 36-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 40-42 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 40-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 12-40 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 12-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 18-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 18-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-6 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 48-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-36 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 6-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 50-36 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 50-36
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 14-26 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 14-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 46-46
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.