According to Black's Law Dictionary, qui tam is an abbreviation of a Latin phrase meaning, "Who sues on behalf of the King as well as for himself."

     A qui tam suit or "Whistleblower suit" is a legal action brought by an “informer” or “whistleblower” under a provision of the Federal Civil False Claims Act that allows private citizens to file a lawsuit on behalf of the United States Government alleging fraud, kickbacks,  or misuse of government funds.  A party who brings a successful whistleblower suit receives as an award, a share in any money recovered.
  
     The False Claims Act (FCA) prohibits:

• Making a false record or statement to get a false or fraudulent claim paid by the government; 
• Conspiring to have a false or fraudulent claim paid by the government; 
• Withholding property of the government with the intent to defraud the government or to willfully conceal it from the government; 
• Making or delivering a receipt for the government's property which is false or fraudulent; 
• Buying property belonging to the government from someone who is not authorized to sell the property; or, 
• Making a false statement to avoid or deceive an obligation to pay money or property to the government.

     The False Claims Act was enacted during the Civil War to “control fraud” in federal contracts” and was subsequently amended in 1986 to encourage whistleblower protection.  The FCA contains two sections relevant to “whistleblowers.”

     The first is a qui tam provision which permits private citizens and “original sources” (whistleblowers) to file suit on behalf of the United States to recover damages incurred by the federal government as a result of contractor fraud or other false claims. In return for filing the suit, the whistleblower is entitled to a significant portion of the proceeds, should they prevail. The whistleblower can obtain a large monetary award if he follows the “complex” procedures set forth in the FCA when seeking to enforce the anti-fraud law.
   
     The second section contains an anti-retaliation provision.  This section deals with the wrongful discharge or harassment of a whistleblower by the defendant. Under the law, any whistleblower who makes files a qui tam suit is protected under a powerful wrongful discharge provision provided “double back pay” and other damages.   The 1986 provision also enhancing the whistleblower’s role in the suit and enlarged his or her share to between 15-25% where the government participates in the litigation or 25-30% where the government declines to participate in the litigation. Additionally, the law mandates that the defendant pay a successful whistleblower’s attorney's fees.

     Since the 1986 Amendments, qui tam suits have proved successful beyond even Congress' expectations. As awareness of the qui tam provisions spreads, more and more whistleblowers are coming forward:
               
                 Year                    Number of Suits

                1987                             33
                1988                             60
                1989                             95    
                1990                             82
                1991                             90
                1992                            119
                1993                            131
                1994                            221
                1995                            279
                1996                            363
                1997                            530
                1998                            417
                1999                            483
                                                 2924

     Recoveries for the United States have also skyrocketed as a result of the legislation and awareness of the law.

                Year                                Recoveries

                1987                         200,000.00
                1988                         355,000.00
                1989                      15,000,000.00
                1990                      40,000,000.00
                1991                      72,000,000.00
                1992                     134,000,000.00
                1993                     173,000,000.00
                1994                     379,000,000.00
                1995                     244,000,000.00
                1996                     127,000,000.00
                1997                     625,000,000.00
                1998                     331,000,000.00
                1999                   $458,000,000.00 
                                       $2,598,555,000.00

     State Causes of Action: As a result of the effectiveness of the False Claims Act, numerous states have also passed state versions of the False Claims Act. These state laws permit whistleblowers to share in the proceeds in the fraud committed against state and local governments.  The following is a list of states with versions of the FCA:

Arkansas      ARK. CODE ANN. Sec 20-77-901 et seq. (2000). [Medicaid]
California      Cal. Gov’t Code Sec 12650 et seq. (DEERING 2000). [General]
Delaware      Del. CODE. ANN. tit. 6, Sec 1201 et seq. (2000).   [General]
D.C.            D.C. CODE ANN. Sec 1-1188.13 et seq.(2000). [General]
Florida         FLA. STAT. 68.081 et seq. (2000)   [General]
Hawaii          HAW. REV. STAT. Sec661-22 et seq. (2000).   [General]
llinois           740 ILL. COMP. STAT. ANN. Sec 175/1 et seq. (2000).[General]
Louisiana      LA. REV. STAT. ANN. Sec 46:439.1 et seq. (2000). [Medical
                     Assistance]
Massachusetts M ASS ANN. LAWS CH. 12, Sec5(A)-(O)
Nevada         NEV. REV. STAT. Sec357.010 et seq. (1999).   [General]
Tennessee    TENN. CODE. ANN. Sec 71-5-181 et seq. (2000).   [Medicaid]
Texas          TEX. HUM. RES. CODE Sec 36.001-36.117
Utah            UTAH CODE ANN. Sec 26-20-1 et seq. (2000).   [Medicaid]
Virginia         [designated: Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act,
                     signed April 17, 2002; effective Jan. 1, 2003]