STATE OF CALIFORNIA v. PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, LLP

Filed 8/31/06 (this opinion should follow companion case, S123951, also filed 8/31/06)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF CALIFORNIA

STATE OF CALIFORNIA ex rel. )

KAMALA HARRIS, as District )

Attorney, etc., et al., )

)

Plaintiffs and Appellants, )

) S131807

v. )

) Ct.App. 1/4 A095918

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, LLP, )

et al., )

) San Francisco County

Defendants and Appellants. ) Super. Ct. No. 993507

_______________________________________ )

Continue from Part I ………

Allowing public agencies to act as qui tam plaintiffs, however, may encourage some agencies, seeking risky paydays, to employ taxpayer funds, and to divert time and resources from their usual public duties, in order to speculate in qui tam litigation on the sole behalf of other agencies. It may also encourage some public entities, acting for their own enrichment, to compete with each other in races to the courthouse, or to withhold relevant information from their defrauded colleagues, so they can file â€