The Seventh Circuit finally abandoned its “but-for” causation standard for False Claims Act (FCA) damages. The decision comes 25 years after the Seventh Circuit first adopted its controversial standard requiring only a showing that an injury would not have occurred if not for the conduct. The Seventh Circuit has long been the lone outlier among
Jury Verdict Expands to $298 Million in False Claims Act/FIRREA Case as Court Assesses Treble Damages and Penalties
A federal court in Texas recently entered a massive judgment against a mortgage originator for financial crisis conduct, transforming an already severe $93 million jury verdict into a $298 million punishment, and issuing one of the first judicial opinions regarding how to assess penalties under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989
In a Major FIRREA Victory for the Banks, the Second Circuit Overturns $1.27 Billion Jury Verdict
On Monday, the Second Circuit overturned a jury verdict and $1.27 billion penalty against Bank of America imposed under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), 12 U.S.C. § 1833a. Because the Government failed to demonstrate that Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (Countrywide) intended at the time of contracting to defraud Fannie