Qui Tam literally means “in the name of the king.” It refers to whistleblower lawsuits brought by private citizens, on behalf of the United States, against a person or company who is believed to have violated the law by submitting false claims to the government. 

The False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 3729-3733, is the most common type of Qui tam claim. It allows an individual with evidence of fraud against a federal government program or contract to sue the perpetrator of the fraud on behalf of the United States Government. New Jersey has recently adopted its own version of the False Claims Act.

Defendants found liable under both the federal and New Jersey False Claims Act must pay triple damages plus the whistleblower’s attorney fees. A qui tam plaintiff can receive between 15 and 30 percent of the total recovery from the defendant, whether through a favorable judgment or settlement.