Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 1204 – Rights of the parties to qui tam actions
(a) If the Department of Justice proceeds with the action, it shall have the primary responsibility for prosecuting the action, and shall not be bound by an act of the party bringing the action. Such party shall have the right to continue as a party to the action, subject to the limitations set forth in subsections (b), (c) and (e) of this section.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 1204
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Claim: means any request or demand, whether under a contract or otherwise, for money or property and whether or not the Government has title to the money or property, that:
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
(b) The Department of Justice may dismiss the action notwithstanding the objections of the party initiating the action if the party has been notified by the Department of Justice of the filing of the motion and the court has provided the party with an opportunity for a hearing on the motion.
(c) The Department of Justice may settle the action with the defendant notwithstanding the objections of the party initiating the action if the court determines after a hearing that the proposed settlement is fair, adequate and reasonable under all the circumstances. Upon a showing of good cause, such hearing may be held in camera.
(d) If the Department of Justice elects not to proceed with the action, the party who initiated the action shall have the right to conduct the action. If the Department of Justice so requests, it shall be served with copies of the pleadings filed in the action and shall be supplied with copies of all deposition transcripts (at the Department of Justice’s expense). When a party proceeds with the action, the court, without limiting the status and rights of the party initiating the action, may nevertheless permit the Department of Justice to intervene at a later date upon a showing of good cause.
(e) Whether or not the Department of Justice proceeds with the action, upon a showing by the Department of Justice that certain actions of discovery by the party initiating the action would interfere with the Department of Justice’s investigation or prosecution of a criminal or civil matter arising out of the same facts, the court may stay such discovery for a period of not more than 60 days. Such a showing shall be conducted in camera. The court may extend the 60-day period upon a further showing in camera that the Department of Justice has pursued the criminal or civil investigation or proceedings with reasonable diligence and any proposed discovery in the civil action will interfere with the ongoing criminal or civil investigation or proceedings.
(f) Notwithstanding § 1203(b) of this title, the Department of Justice may elect to pursue its claim through any available alternate remedy, including any administrative proceeding to determine a civil money penalty. If any such alternate remedy is pursued in another proceeding, the party initiating the action shall have the same rights in such proceeding as such party would have had if the action had continued under this chapter; provided however, that no insurer subject to the insurance fraud provisions of Chapter 24 of Title 18 shall have a cause of action pursuant to this chapter. Any finding of fact or conclusion of law made in such other proceeding that has become final shall be conclusive on all parties to an action under this chapter. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a finding or conclusion is final if it has been fully determined on appeal to the appropriate court, if all time for filing such appeal with respect to the finding or conclusion has expired, or if the finding or conclusion is not subject to judicial review.
72 Del. Laws, c. 370, § ?1; 77 Del. Laws, c. 166, §§ ?13-18;