False Claims Act

Federal civil · Torts · 4,610 cases filed and closed (1988–present).

4,610

Cases filed

89.7%

Ended before a merits judgment

4,136 of 4,610 cases

43.5%

Plaintiff win

of 474 merits judgments

50.2%

Defendant win

of merits judgments

Most cases never reach a ruling on the merits. Of 4,610 filed, 89.7% closed without one — settled, dismissed, transferred, or remanded. The win rates above describe only the 474 that a judge actually decided.

How they closed

Dismissed49.8%
Other20.5%
Settled15%
Defendant win5.2%
Plaintiff win4.5%
Transferred3.7%
Remanded0.7%
Decided — other0.4%
Mixed0.2%
Denied0%

Where you file matters

The same claim resolves differently across districts. Plaintiff-win rate among merits judgments, busiest courts first.

Read the law behind false claims act

Source: FJC Integrated Database (public domain), via CourtListener — federal civil cases filed and terminated, 1988–present. Figures are descriptive statistics about how cases of a given type have closed in a given court. They describe the historical record — not a prediction or assessment of any specific case. Not legal advice.