October Term 2018 · Docket 18-315
Does the government's intervention reset the relator's filing deadline?
Cochise Consultancy argues the deadline stays fixed. The government argues intervention resets it.
Verified source milestones
- — 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
Cochise Consultancy argues the deadline is event-based and fixed.
The government argues the deadlines must always match.
Justices questioned the status of the state as a party.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-34 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 10-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 10-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 6-15 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 6-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 11-20 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 11-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 10-13 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 10-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-25
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether a False Claims Act relator keeps the original filing deadline after the government joins the suit.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 13-7
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 19, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-16
What each side wants
Cochise Consultancy wants the original deadline to remain fixed.
The government wants the deadline to reset upon intervention.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 13-7
What each side says
Cochise Consultancy argues the statute applies equally to all parties.
The government argues the relator and state share identical deadlines.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 13-7
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked if the state remains a party without intervention.
Justice Gorsuch asked if retaliation claims fall outside the statute.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-34 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 10-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 10-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 6-15 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 6-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 11-20 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 11-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 10-13 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 10-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-25
Why it matters
This dispute defines when a whistleblower must file suit. It shapes the timeline for recovering public funds. It balances private initiative against state control.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 13-7
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 26-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-34 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 10-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 10-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 6-15 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 6-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 11-20 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 11-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 10-13 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 10-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-25
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 33, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 13-7
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.