Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_12-cv-06526/USCOURTS-cand-3_12-cv-06526-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Stephen Denigris
Plaintiff
North Bay Regional Surgery Center, LLC
Defendant
Sutter Health
Defendant
United States of America
Plaintiff

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MELINDA HAAG (CABN 132612)

United States Attorney

ALEX G. TSE (CABN 152348)

Chief, Civil Division

ERICA BLACHMAN HITCHINGS (MABN 669825)

Assistant United States Attorney

450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055

San Francisco, California 94102-3495

Telephone: (415) 436-7015

FAX: (415) 436-6927

erica.hitchings@usdoi.gov

Attorneys for the United States ofAmerica

filed

SEP 03 2015

CLERkKSJISbt northern distrIKu^nw

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ex

rel and Plaintiff STEPHEN DENIGRIS, M.D.,

Plaintiffs,

V.

SUTTER HEALTH, NORTH BAY

REGIONAL SURGERY CENTER, LLC AND

DOES 1-50,

Defendant.

CASE NO. C 12-06526 JSC

UNITED STATES' NOTICE OF ELECTION TO

DECLINE INTERVENTION; [PROPOSED]

ORDER TO UNSEAL

FILED UNDER SEAL

Pursuant to the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b)(4)(B), the United States notifies the Court

ofits decision not to intervene in this action.

Although the United States declines to intervene, we respectfully refer the Court to 31 U.S.C.

§ 3730(b)(1), whichallowsthe relatorto maintain the actionin the name of the United States; providing,

however, that the "action may be dismissedonly ifthe court and the AttorneyGeneral give written

consent to the dismissal and their reasons for consenting." Id. The United States Court ofAppeals for

the Ninth Circuithas held that, notwithstanding thislanguage, the United Stateshas the rightonlyto a

hearing whenit objects to a settlement or dismissal of the action. U.S. exrel Greenv. Northrop Corp.,

U.S. NOTICE OF ELECTION TO DECLINE INTERVENTION; C 12-06526 JSC

Case 3:12-cv-06526-VC Document 13 Filed 09/03/15 Page 1 of 3
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59 F.3d 953, 959 (9th Cir. 1995); U.S. ex rel Killingsworth v. Northrop Corp., 25 F.3d 715, 723-25 (9th

Cir. 1994).

Therefore, the United States requests that, should either the relator or the defendant propose that

this action be dismissed, settled, or otherwise discontinued, this Court provide the United States with

notice and an opportunity to be heard before ruling or granting its approval.

Furthermore, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(3), the United States requests that all pleadings

filed in this action be served upon the United States; the United States also requests that orders issued by

the Court be sent to the Government's counsel. The United States reserves its right to order any

deposition transcripts, to intervene in this action, for good cause, at a later date, and to seek the dismissal

ofthe relator's action or claim. See 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(2),(3). The United States also requests that it

be served with all notices of appeal.

Finally, the United States requests that the Court unseal: (1) Relator's Complaint; (2) the

summons; (3) the scheduling order; (4) this Notice ofElection to Decline Intervention, with (Proposed)

Order to Unseal; and (5) all other matters occurring in this action after the date the Court enters the

unsealing order. The United States requests that all other contents ofthe Court's file in this matter

(including, but not limited to, any applications filed by the United States for extensions ofthe

investigative period, any applications for partial lifting ofthe seal, and any orders previously entered in

this matter) remain under seal and not be made public or served upon Defendant.

Respectfully submitted.

Dated: August 2S, 2015

MELINDA HAAG

United States Attorney

By:

ERICA BLACHMAN HITCHINGS

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for the United States

U.S. NOTICE OF ELECTION TO DECLINE INTERVENTION; C 12-06526 JSC

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[PROPOSED] ORDER TO UNSEAL

The United States, having declined to intervene in this action pursuant to the Federal False

Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b)(4)(B), the Court rules as follows:

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that,

1. The Relator's Complaint, the summons, the scheduling order, this Order, and the

accompanying U.S. Notice ofElection to Decline Intervention are hereby unsealed.

2. The relator shall serve the Complaint upon the defendants.

3. Any applications and/or declarations that have been filed under seal by the United States for

an extension ofthe sixty-day investigative period or for any other reason shall remain under seal and not

be made public or served upon the defendants.

4. The seal shall be lifted as to all other matters occurring in this action after the date ofthis

Order.

5. The parties shall serve all pleadings and motions tiled in this action, including supporting

memoranda, upon the United States, as provided for in 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c)(3). The United States may

order any deposition transcripts and is entitled to intervene in this action, for good cause, at any time.

6. The parties shall serve all notices of appeal upon the United States.

7. All orders ofthis Court shall be sent to the United States.

8. Should the relator or the defendant(s) propose that this action be dismissed, settled, or

otherwise discontinued, the Court will provide the United States with notice and an opportunity to be

heard before ruling or granting its approval.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: \-^13

ELINE SCOTT CORLES^

ite^States Magistrate Judge

U.S. NOTICE OF ELECTION TO DECLINE INTERVENTION; C 12-06526 JSC

Case 3:12-cv-06526-VC Document 13 Filed 09/03/15 Page 3 of 3