2000 US Code
Title 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE
SUBTITLE III - FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 37 - CLAIMS
SUBCHAPTER III - CLAIMS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Sec. 3731 - False claims procedure

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§3731. False claims procedure

(a) A subpena requiring the attendance of a witness at a trial or hearing conducted under section 3730 of this title may be served at any place in the United States.

(b) A civil action under section 3730 may not be brought—

(1) more than 6 years after the date on which the violation of section 3729 is committed, or

(2) more than 3 years after the date when facts material to the right of action are known or reasonably should have been known by the official of the United States charged with responsibility to act in the circumstances, but in no event more than 10 years after the date on which the violation is committed,

whichever occurs last.

(c) In any action brought under section 3730, the United States shall be required to prove all essential elements of the cause of action, including damages, by a preponderance of the evidence.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, or the Federal Rules of Evidence, a final judgment rendered in favor of the United States in any criminal proceeding charging fraud or false statements, whether upon a verdict after trial or upon a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, shall estop the defendant from denying the essential elements of the offense in any action which involves the same transaction as in the criminal proceeding and which is brought under subsection (a) or (b) of section 3730.

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 979; Pub. L. 99–562, §5, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3158.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
3731(a)	31:232(F).	R.S. §3491(F); added Nov. 2, 1978, Pub. L. 95–582, §1, 92 Stat. 2479.
3731(b)	31:235.	R.S. §3494.

In subsection (b), the words “A civil action under section 3730 of this title” are substituted for “Every such suit” for clarity.

References in Text

The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, referred to in subsec. (d), are set out in the Appendix to Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

The Federal Rules of Evidence, referred to in subsec. (d), are set out in the Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Amendments

1986—Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 99–562 added subsecs. (b) to (d) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: “A civil action under section 3730 of this title must be brought within 6 years from the date the violation is committed.”

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 3733 of this title; title 15 sections 637, 657a; title 42 section 1395i.