By Mike Scarcella – Corporate Counsel

Whistle-blower Stephanie Schweizer wasn't interested in settling her government-contracting fraud suit for $1.2 million, an amount far from the $165 million in claims she lodged against the international copy and printing equipment company where she had worked.

Over Schweizer's objection, the U.S. Department of Justice last year successfully asked a federal trial judge in Washington to end the litigation, saying that the government has unfettered power to settle and dismiss a False Claims Act complaint. Schweizer disagreed with the terms of the deal and the dismissal of the case, and, as a result, has not received any money.

Schweizer's lawyers at Washington's Bailey & Ehrenberg now want a federal appeals court to revive the suit, arguing that Chief Judge Royce Lamberth of Washington's federal trial court shirked his obligation to determine the fairness of the agreement.

This article can be found in its entirety on the Corporate Counsel's website.