The U.S. Supreme Court has turned aside the bid by pharmaceutical maker Eli Lilly to not only toss out a $183 million judgment against the company, but also put a dent in a system the company says unconstitutionally permits "private bounty hunters" to use questionable legal claims to extract big paydays in the name of the government.
On May 18, the high court formally denied Eli Lilly's appeal petition.
kAm%96 56?:2= @7 t=: {:==JVD 2AA62= 42>6 H:E9@FE 5:DD6?E @C 4@>>6?E 7C@> E96 ;FDE:46D]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=682=?6HD=:?6]4@>^4@@<\4@F?EJ\C64@C5^6=:\=:==J\2D<D\D4@EFD\E@\6?5\3@F?EJ\9F?E6C\7656C2=\7C2F5\DF:ED^2CE:4=607e4a`7hg\e454\c55a\3b`3\bc6g522``b24]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmt=: {:==J 925 A6E:E:@?65 E96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE :? |2C49k^2m[ D66<:?8 E@ @G6CEFC? 2 564:D:@? 7C@> E96 &]$] $6G6?E9 r:C4F:E r@FCE @7 pAA62=D :? r9:428@]k^Am
kAm%96 $6G6?E9 r:C4F:E 925 FA96=5 2 7656C2= 4@FCE ;FCJVD G6C5:4E[ @C56C:?8 {:==J E@ A2J S`gb >:==:@?[ AFCA@CE65=J E@ 4@>A6?D2E6 E96 8@G6C?>6?E 7@C 7C2F5 2==6865=J 4@>>:EE65 3J E96 5CF8 >2<6C H96? E96 4@>A2?J 2==6865=J C6A@CE65 72=D6 5CF8 4@DED E@ |65:42:5 F?56C 2 5CF8 C632E6 AC@8C2>]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 4@>A2?J D@F89E E@ 5@ >@C6 E92? ;FDE C6G6CD6 2 4@?EC2CJ G6C5:4E] %96 A6E:E:@? 2D<65 E96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE E@ 564=2C6 E96 7656C2= u2=D6 r=2:>D p4E[ E96 =2H F?56C H9:49 E96 =2HDF:E H2D 7:=65[ F?4@?DE:EFE:@?2=] {:==J 2C8F65 E96 =2H 67764E:G6=J 2==@HD E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E E@ 4C62E6 @A2BF6 C68F=2E:@?D E92E =62G6 3FD:?6DD6D 8F6DD:?8 @? 9@H E@ 4@>A=J[ 3FE J6E DE:== 6>A@H6CD Q3@F?EJ 9F?E:?8Q EC:2= =2HJ6CD E@ 6?7@C46 E96>[ FD:?8 BF6DE:@?23=6 =682= E96@C:6D @7 7C2F5[ 6G6? 27E6C E96 8@G6C?>6?E 564=2C6D :ED6=7 F?H:==:?8 E@ D:8? @?]k^Am
kAmx? E96 A6E:E:@?[ {:==J 4@>A2C65 E96 2CC2?86>6?E E@ Qr2=G:?32==[Q 2 ?@E@C:@FD 2?5 >2556?:?8 7:4E:@?2= 82>6 :?G6?E65 :? E96 7C2>6D @7 E96 Qr2=G:? 2?5 w@336DQ 4@>:4 DEC:A 3J 42CE@@?:DE q:== (2EE6CD@?] x? E96 82>6[ E96 E:EF=2C 7:4E:@?2= 492C24E6C[ r2=G:?[ D:>A=J >256 FA E96 CF=6D @7 E96 82>6 2D :E :D A=2J65]k^Am
kAm%96 =2HDF:E 2E E96 E96 962CE @7 E96 7:=:?8 H2D 7:=65 282:?DE {:==J :? a_`c 3J 2==6865 H9:DE=63=@H6C #@?2=5 $EC64<]k^Am
kAm$EC64< 2?5 2EE@C?6J s2? |:==6C 2?5 @E96CD 7C@> E96 7:C> @7 (2=56? |249E w2C2? U2>Aj (:==:2>D[ @7 }6H *@C<[ 925 7:=65 DF:E :? r9:428@ 7656C2= 4@FCE :? a_`c[ >@C6 E92? 2 564256 62C=:6C]k^Am
kAm%96 =2HDF:E[ 9@H6G6C[ 5:5 ?@E 244FD6 t=: {:==J @7 92C>:?8 $EC64<] #2E96C[ $EC64< 3C@F89E E96 4=2:>D 2D 2 D@\42==65 BF: E2> 24E:@? F?56C E96 u2=D6 r=2:>D p4E]k^Am
kAmx? DF49 2? 24E:@?[ 2 A=2:?E:77[ <?@H? 2D 2 QC6=2E@C[Q 7:=6D DF:E @? 3692=7 @7 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E[ AC6DD:?8 4=2:>D @7 7C2F5 282:?DE 5676?52?ED] x? E96 24E:@?[ E96 A=2:?E:77\C6=2E@C D66<D E@ C64@G6C >@?6J 2==6865=J ?@E A2:5 E@ E96 8@G6C?>6?E @C 2==6865=J A2:5 @FE 3J E96 8@G6C?>6?E 2D 2 C6DF=E @7 2==6865 7C2F5]k^Am
kAm"F: E2> C6=2E@C A=2:?E:77D 2C6 E96? EJA:42==J 6?E:E=65 E@ 2 4FE @7 H92E6G6C DF>D >2J 36 F=E:>2E6=J C64@G6C65 3J E96 8@G6C?>6?E E9C@F89 E96:C =2HDF:E]k^Am
kAmx? E9:D 42D6[ $EC64< 4=2:>65 96[ 2D 2? 2==6865 <?@H=658623=6 H9:DE=63=@H6C[ H2D 2EE6>AE:?8 E@ C64@G6C >:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD 2==6865=J D9@CE65 E@ E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 3J t=: {:==J F?56C E96 |65:42:5 sCF8 #632E6 !C@8C2>]k^Am
kAm%96 =2HDF:E 244FD65 t=: {:==J @7 2==6865=J F?56CC6A@CE:?8 E96 AC:46 :E 492C865 7@C 46CE2:? >65:42E:@?D E@ E96 AC@8C2>] &?56C E96 AC@8C2>VD CF=6D[ 5CF8>2<6CD 2C6 C6BF:C65 E@ C6A@CE E@ |65:42:5 E96 2G6C286 AC:46 @7 5CF8D :?4=F565 :? E96 AC@8C2>]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ :? E96 =2HDF:E[ $EC64<[ :56?E:7:65 2D 2 7@C>6C 6I64FE:G6 @7 2 ?6EH@C< @7 C68:@?2= 5CF8 H9@=6D2=6CD[ 2DD6CE65 t=: {:==J C6A@CE65 @?=J E96 5CF8DV :?:E:2= AC:46[ 2?5 5:5 ?@E :?4=F56 =2E6C AC:46 :?4C62D6D :? E96 42=4F=2E:@?D]k^Am
kAm%92E 2==6865=J 2==@H65 t=: {:==J E@ Q4=2H 324<Q E9@D6 AC:46 :?4C62D6D[ 2==6865=J 7@C4:?8 E96 8@G6C?>6?E E@ A2J >@C6[ H9:=6 2==@H:?8 E96 4@>A2?J E@ 2==6865=J A@4<6E 9F?5C65D @7 >:==:@?D >@C6 :? AC@7:E @G6C E96 J62CD]k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ 4@FCE 5@4F>6?ED[ t=: {:==J C6A@CE65=J DE@AA65 E96 AC24E:46 :? a_`f[ D9@CE=J 27E6C 7@C>2==J 2?5 4=62C=J ?@E:7J:?8 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E @7 :ED 4=2H324< AC24E:46D]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ E96 ;FCJ DE:== @C56C65 E96 4@>A2?J E@ A2J S`gb >:==:@?]k^Am
kAm&?56C E96 u2=D6 r=2:>D p4E[ $EC64< H@F=5 36 6?E:E=65 E@ 4=2:> 2D >F49 2D adT @7 E92E 2>@F?E[ H:E9 9:D 2EE@C?6JD 4=2:>:?8 DE:== >@C6]k^Am
kAm~? 2AA62=[ E96 $6G6?E9 r:C4F:E ;F586D 28C665 t=: {:==J >2J ?@E 92G6 >62?E QE@ >:D=625 E96 8@G6C?>6?EQ 2?5 5:5 E96:C 36DE E@ 4@>A=J H:E9 E96 4@>A=6I C68F=2E:@?D]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 ;F586D D2:5 E96 4@>A2?J D9@F=5 DE:== 36 C6BF:C65 E@ A2J ?62C=J Sa__ >:==:@?[ 3642FD6 ;FC@CD H6C6 ?@E HC@?8 E@ 4@?4=F56 Q{:==J <?@H:?8=J 9:5 E96 ECFE9Q 7C@> E96 8@G6C?>6?E[ 2==6865=J Q2>2DD:?8 @G6C Se__ >:==:@? :? C6G6?F6[Q H9:=6 :E 2==6865=J Q56AC:G65 E96 8@G6C?>6?E @7 @G6C Se_ >:==:@?[Q 2==6865=J 2D 2 C6DF=E @7 E96 4@>A2?JVD AC24E:46D]k^Am
kAm~? 2AA62= E@ E96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE[ {:==J D2:5 E96 $6G6?E9 r:C4F:EVD CF=:?8 4C62E6D 2 QEC2A 7@C E96 F?H2CJQ 2?5 A2CE:4F=2C=J 7@C Q>2?F724EFC6CD H9@ 368865 C68F=2E@CD 7@C 8F:52?46 2?5 96H65 E@ ;F5:4:2==J 2AAC@G65 =682= 4@?DECF4E:@?D[Q J6E H6C6 DE:== 9:E H:E9 3:8 ;F58>6?ED[ 2?JH2J]k^Am
kAm~E96CD 7:=65 3C:67D DFAA@CE:?8 {:==JVD A@D:E:@?[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 &]$] r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46]k^Am
kAm%96 r92>36C 2C8F65 E96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE D9@F=5 E2<6 E96 42D6 2?5 DEC:<6 5@H? E96 BF: E2> AC@G:D:@? F?56C E96 urp]k^Am
kAm%96 r92>36C 2DD6CE65 E96 urp BF: E2> AC@G:D:@? QCF?D C@F89D9@5Q @G6C 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= QD2768F2C5D[Q AC6G6?E:?8 AC:G2E6 =:E:82?ED 7C@> FD:?8 E96 4@FCED E@ AC@7:E :? E96 ?2>6 @7 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E]k^Am
kAm%96 $6G6?E9 r:C4F:EVD 564:D:@? Q7=@FED @FC =682= DJDE6>VD 4@>>:E>6?E E@ 72:C ?@E:46 2?5 5F6 AC@46DD[ 2?5 2==@H:?8 :E E@ A6CD:DE H:== @?=J 6?4@FC286 7FCE96C BF: E2> @G6CC6249[Q E96 r92>36C HC@E6 :? :ED 3C:67 :? DFAA@CE @7 {:==J]k^Am
kAmx? C6DA@?D6[ $EC64<VD =682= E62> 2C8F65 E96 2AA62= 2>@F?E65 E@ 2? 2EE6>AE 3J t=: {:==J E@ A6CDF256 E96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE E@ F?5@ E96 4@>A2?JVD @H? =682= Q3=F?56CDQ 2?5 @G6CEFC? 2 C62D@?23=6 ;FCJ G6C5:4E]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6 :D ?@ C62D@? 7@C E9:D r@FCE E@ C6H6:89 E96 6G:56?46 2?5 E96C63J D64@?5\8F6DD E96 ;FCJ’D 724E\3@F?5 4@?4=FD:@?[Q HC@E6 $EC64<VD =2HJ6CD[ ?@H ;@:?65 3J 2EE@C?6J y24<D@? |2CE:?[ @7 %JD@?D r@C?6C[ ':C8:?:2]k^Am
kAm%96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE D:565 H:E9 $EC64< 2?5 56?:65 t=: {:==JVD A6E:E:@?]k^Am
kAmt=: {:==J H2D C6AC6D6?E65 367@C6 E96 &]$] $FAC6>6 r@FCE 3J 2EE@C?6JD y@9? r] ~V"F:?? 2?5 {F<6 !] |4vF:C6[ @7 E96 7:C> @7 z:C<=2?5 U2>Aj t==:D[ @7 (2D9:?8E@?[ s]r]j 2?5 tC:? t] |FCA9J[ |2EE96H s] #@H6? 2?5 yF=:2 #] vC2?E[ @7 r=6>6?E U2>Aj |FCA9J[ @7 p=6I2?5C:2[ ':C8:?:2]k^Am
