The Role of Lawyers in Qui Tam Cases
Qui Tam cases are somewhat different from regular cases, because most of the time the person who is bringing the lawsuit, the whistleblower, is not necessarily someone who has been hurt by the defendant or their fraud. Occasionally the whistleblower will have a stake in the overall case, but in general Qui Tam lawyers work with people who are simply bringing a case on behalf of the government. However, this does not mean that the legal roles in Qui Tam cases are not as important.
As in a regular lawsuit, the Qui Tam lawyers are in charge of bringing the case to trial on behalf of the government. A whistleblower is the person with the information that fraud has been committed against the government. Therefore, the defendant is being charged with crimes against the government – not against the person who is bringing the case. However, the whistleblower is also entitled to compensation for being a whistleblower, which means that there is a person to represent in the case – along with the case being on behalf of the government.
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Therefore the legal roles in Qui Tam cases very much resemble those in regular lawsuits. The Qui Tam lawyers are responsible for bringing the case to trial. They are responsible for taking testimony and collecting information about the fraud. The Qui Tam lawyers are also going to make sure that the case can go to trial and that the whistleblower does indeed have the proof and information that is needed in order to bring a case against the defendant on behalf of the government.
During the case, the Qui Tam lawyers will be doing what they regularly do during a trial. They will be filing information, submitting it to the correct places, and doing all of the typical trial duties of lawyers if the case is seen by a full court. Also, the legal roles in the Qui Tam cases include making sure that the whistleblower is prepared for the trial, and that all of the information is presented in the best way to make the case as strong as possible.
Although the case is not truly one between the defendant and the whistleblower, the whistleblower is still protected under Qui Tam and is therefore treated in the same way that a regular plaintiff would be treated. The Qui Tam lawyers are also there to make sure that this happens. Although the case is on behalf of the government, the Qui Tam lawyers work with the whistleblower directly. Also, Qui Tam lawyers will work with defendants in these types of cases. When a Qui Tam lawyer works with a defendant, their job would be to prove that the defendant did not knowingly commit the fraud for which they are charged.
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Legal roles in Qui Tam cases might be confusing, and this is part of why it is important to seek legal counsel if you feel that you have a Qui Tam case. Being a whistleblower does entitle you to compensation, but you must be certain to contact a Qui Tam lawyer as soon as possible. For more information, or to talk directly about your case, contact our lawyers today.
