July 03, 2008
An article in the Washington Post quotes sources who say that the Justice Department doesn’t have the resources to handle the volume of whistleblower suits being filed.
The 300 to 400 whistleblower suits filed each year must be investigated under seal, with the relators unable to proceed until the government decides whether or not it will intervene. Critics say the delay in reaching that decision can hurt the False Claims Act suit.
There are approximately 75 lawyers in the Justice Department division responsible for reviewing the suits and they are able to review only about 100 cases each year. Some suits are delayed because there are criminal proceedings which take priority.