Qui Tam (31 USC 3729(a))

Federal civil · Torts · 2,811 cases filed and closed (1988–present).

2,811

Cases filed

96.4%

Ended before a merits judgment

2,710 of 2,811 cases

16.8%

Plaintiff win

of 101 merits judgments

66.3%

Defendant win

of merits judgments

Most cases never reach a ruling on the merits. Of 2,811 filed, 96.4% closed without one — settled, dismissed, transferred, or remanded. The win rates above describe only the 101 that a judge actually decided.

How they closed

Other43.7%
Dismissed42.6%
Settled7.3%
Transferred2.7%
Defendant win2.4%
Plaintiff win0.6%
Decided — other0.5%
Mixed0.1%
Remanded0%

Where you file matters

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

Read the law behind qui tam (31 usc 3729(a))

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.