A civil investigative demand compels production of documents, written answers to interrogatories, and oral testimony before any complaint is filed. It is issued under the False Claims Act and similar statutes.
Recipients may negotiate scope but compliance is mandatory absent a successful challenge.
Alternative Names:
CID, Investigative Demand
Why it Matters?
Receiving a demand usually means a qui tam complaint is under seal, since the government issues them while investigating a relator's allegations before deciding whether to intervene. That makes the response an opportunity to influence the intervention decision, which is the most consequential moment in the case. Scope negotiation is available and worthwhile, but the strategic priority is the substantive presentation rather than the production burden.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does receiving a demand indicate?
Why is the response strategically important?
