Federal Lawyer Civil Investigative Demand (CID)

 Are You a Government Contractor, Health Care Provider, SBA PPP Borrower, Individual or Company Served With a Civil Investigative Demand? Facing a False Claims Act Investigation? Our Federal Lawyer Civil Investigative Demand Attorneys Can Help With OIG or DOJ Civil Investigative Demands (DOJ CID). Avoid Costly Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making That Cost You Indictments and Ultimately Convictions at Trial.

Receiving a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or OIG or finding your company under the lens of government investigations for government contract fraud not only creates significant stress, and anxiety because you feel like you have done nothing wrong but your entire future and reputation is at stake. What can you do to clear your name and avoid unjust results? 

The key to getting a favorable outcome is to grasp the seriousness of receiving such a document and responding accordingly without incriminating yourself or providing information that is either privileged or protected.  This is what counts and where our civil investigative demand lawyers can help.

At Watson & Associates, LLC, with law offices in Washington DC and Colorado, we engage with clients throughout the United States from the investigation stage all the way through trial. We start at the beginning, working hand-in-hand with you to dissect the CID structure, anticipate government moves, and develop a proactive defense strategy. Our approach is tailored to the unique and complex areas of federal contracting, ensuring your CID response is comprehensive, compliant, and strategically positioned to mitigate risks.

What is a Civil Investigative Demand (CID)?

A CID is an administrative subpoena used by federal law enforcement agencies to collect information for a federal investigation without formal court approval or initiating formal proceedings. Putting it bluntly, the Civil Investigative Demand gives the federal government a “free ticket” that compels you to provide information and testimony without having to ask a judge for permission. Various federal law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) use CIDs as a legal pathway to get substantial amounts of information during federal investigations. Potential defendants should be aware that simply because a CID suggests that a civil case is being investigated, it does not mean that you cannot have a federal subpoena issued in a criminal case.

Courts do not have to approve these types of administrative subpoenas; civil investigative demands are not subject to court approval. Importantly, the government has the right to investigate, and CIDs are tools used to get documents, testimony and other evidence before initiating a legal proceeding such as a grand jury indictment or bring criminal charges.

Immediate Considerations When Responding to a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) 

1. Consider hiring legal counsel. Once you are served with CID, if you don’t already have legal counsel, you should seriously consider hiring one. The reason is that you cannot afford to turn over information that can be equivalent to incriminating yourself. You have a constitutional right not to incriminate yourself.
2.  Initial a legal litigation hold.  Just as important as hiring a civil investigative demand attorney, you should immediately implement a legal litigation hold.  This is necessary to preserve documents and information to respond to the CID. The legal hold must cover the full responsive period set out in the CID hold.
3. Study the CID to understand the requirements and your obligations fully. You cannot pick and choose what you want to hand over to the government, except for protected or privileged information. When you are not fully responsive to the CID, this can cause more problems.

We bring over 30 years of federal procurement and government experience to your case and stand in a better position to defend you in a criminal case when compared to criminal defense attorneys with no experience in federal procurement laws.

• We help clients sift through the documents and CID requests for interrogatories and discovery
• We help with the underlying allegations and facts related to unique items in government contracting such as small business programs, Trade Agreements Act (TAA compliance) matters, Buy American Act CIDs investigations, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 
• We assess investigations and CID target cases for allegations of SBA affiliation and various white-collar crimes
• Our OIG and DOJ CID lawyers use over 30 years of procurement experience to adequately defend False Claims Act allegations

 AVOID COSTLY MISTAKES WITH CIVIL INVESTIGATIVE DEMANDS – MINIMIZE THE CHANCES OF GETTING INDICTED 

Responding to a Civil Investigative Demand False Claims Act Violations 

If you were served a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) related to potential False Claims Act violations in a federal government contract, it is critical to respond in a timely and comprehensive manner. The implementation of the False Claims Act for government contract fraud imposes serious civil and or criminal. The consequences for non-compliance of CIDs are extremely severe.

You should seek legal counsel from a Civil Investigative Demand False Claims Act lawyer with experience in government contracting. Without that experience on your defense team, your chances of being indicted and charged criminal are significantly increased.

• Put a CID hold on all documents.
• Be prepared to bring in third parties to extract information from your computers.
• Speak to your CID investigative lawyer about your constitutional rights during the DOJ CID response process.

Taking proactive steps to respond to a civil investigative demand False Claims Act subpoena can minimize the impact and reputation of your business.

Common False Claims Act Allegations 

Federal government contractors under federal investigation receive CIDs and face a vast amount of False Claims Act allegations. The prosecutors will usually allege violations of underlying procurement laws such as the Trade Agreements Act, Buy American Act, TINA violation, SBA small business program fraud, and more. When sufficient evidence has accumulated, then the DOJ or other federal agency will bring numerous counts of False Claims violations against you for allegations of misrepresenting capabilities, inflating your costs, and delivering substandard products or services to the government.

What is a CID Legal Hold and What Does It Mean? 

After being served with a target letter and civil investigative demand alleging unfair or deceptive acts, immediately implement a legal hold. If you are served with a Civil Investigative Demand related to False Claims Act cases, immediately put a CID legal hold to preserve relevant evidence and protect your company. A legal hold is a command or order to your personnel to cease all discarding and destruction of relevant evidence to the CID. This can include physical documents, emails, etc.

Immediately putting a legal hold in place can significantly reduce the risk of spoliation sanctions. These sanctions can range from hefty fines to adverse inferences drawn against you as a government contractor, potentially crippling your legal defense. Discuss this critical point with your civil investigative demand attorney.

Form a Team for  OIG and DOJ CID Responses

Whether you are responding to a civil antitrust investigation, or procurement fraud case, you should form a team of key players who can act under the guidance of experienced legal counsel. Depending on what the government wants, you may have to utilize key experts in the various parts of your organization. This is especially true for a DOJ civil investigative demand issued to government contractors.

When Can a CID be Issued?

It can be issued when the federal government has reason to believe you have information relevant to an investigation, especially before formal civil proceedings begin under laws like the False Claims Act (FCA)

How Long Does a CID Investigation Take?

There is no set time limit on how long a civil investigative demand investigation takes. Some cases can take months while Qui Tam CID investigation cases can take several years. Each CID investigative lawyer at Watson & Associates, LLC aggressively analyzes the facts of each case and advises you of the strengths and any weaknesses in the government’s case.

What Makes a CID Powerful?

Its broad scope and the government’s authority to compel you to provide information makes it a very powerful tool. Courts will very rarely deny challenges to civil investigative demands. Therefore, your attorney should have a very compelling reason to set aside a CID.

What are the Consequences for  Non-Compliance?

Failing to respond properly to  a civil investigative demand can lead to charges of criminal contempt and other significant consequences .

What Happens After a CID Investigation?

The DOJ or OIG concludes the investigation, the agency will decide whether or not there is enough evidence to move ahead with civil or criminal charges. If you are represented by legal counsel, the government’s attorneys may also attempt to resolve the issues through negotiations and settlement. In criminal cases, where no settlement can be reached, the prosecutor may choose to impanel a grand jury.

Watson & Associates LLC: How Our Federal Lawyers Can Help With Civil Investigative Demands

Federal lawyer civil investigative demand: The CID attorneys at our law firm help individuals, small businesses, large defense contractors from various federal agencies,, health care providers and corporations respond to federal civil investigative demands across the country. Our team understands the ins and outs of dealing with federal investigations.  We can help with:

• Preserving the Attorney-Client Privilege. When you retain legal counsel at our law firm, we help to preserve attorney- client protected information before responding to CIDs. If you can keep protected information, our OIG and DOJ CID lawyers will assist.  
• Prepare and Submit Your Response to DOJ or OIG. Our CID response lawyers help you to prepare and submit your response. We represent government contractors from the beginning of an investigation all the way to trial if needed. 
• Negotiations and Aggressive Legal Defense. If you are a target in an investigation, we immediately help to prepare a legal defense.
• Implement a Legal CID Hold. You should immediately initiate  a “legal hold” to preserve all documents and evidence that is responsive to the OD or subpoena.

Scott D. Lovelock. Mr. Lovelock brings a wealth of proven knowledge and experience helping clients address issues of risk assessment, mitigation and regulatory compliance as well as a savvy level of business and military experience that gives him a unique perspective to help government contractors succeed and avoid most of the costly mistakes that are encountered when failing to understand and implement required compliance programs or understanding the nuances of working with government agencies. 

A retired Air Force officer, with extensive operational experience with procurement law for contractors in both the field, Numbered Commands, Air Force Headquarters and the Joint Staff, he brings a unique and focused perspective of DoD operations in how he serves our clients. 

 

Walter H. Foster, Of Counsel, is a seasoned attorney and former Army colonel with deep experience orchestrating teams, imparting clarity and counsel, and executing on behalf of both private enterprise and the federal government. From managing technical construction in Iraq to prosecuting terrorists for the Pentagon, Walter brings mission focus to every challenge.

Moving to the Pentagon as Lead Trial Counsel, Walter was tapped to spearhead the high-profile prosecution of an Al Qaeda operative who had been detained at Guantanamo Bay. Walter established and managed a busy practice in Tampa, working the entire case lifecycle for 3,000 bench trials and 80 jury trials over nine years. While focusing largely on criminal defense, civil litigation. 

Nationwide Legal Representation for Government Contractors and Individuals

Contact Federal Lawyer Civil Investigative Demand (CID)Professional Help 

Get immediate federal lawyer civil investigative demand False Claims Act help. if you are a federal government contractor or associated with one, call Watson & Associates, LLC government contract and criminal defense lawyers. Call us at 1.866.601.5518  or contact us online for a Free Confidential Consultation.