United States of America ex rel. Betty Cordaway v. Toung Kang
- Cisneros
- 3:25-cv-11122
- U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
- 3
In United States v. Kang, Judge Cisneros approved the United States’ nonintervention, ordered unsealing, and set case-management deadlines.
The order affects Betty Cordaway, Toung Kang, and the United States by allowing the relator to continue the case, unsealing the court file, requiring service on the United States, and setting case-management deadlines.
What happened
In United States of America ex rel. Betty Cordaway v. Toung Kang, the United States told the court that it would not join the lawsuit, while Betty Cordaway could continue it in the United States’ name.
The court ordered the complaint and the rest of the court file unsealed, required the parties to serve filings and appeal notices on the United States, and required notice before any dismissal or settlement. The court also continued the initial case-management conference to July 30, 2026.
Judge Lisa Cisneros entered the order on March 3, 2026, granting the proposed unsealing order as modified.
The detailed version
- United States of America ex rel. Betty Cordaway v. Toung Kang · No. 3:25-cv-11122
- Cisneros
- Mar. 3, 2026
Background
This False Claims Act case was filed under seal. The United States notified the court under 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b)(4)(B) that it declined to intervene, meaning it would not take over or join the case at that stage. The notice stated that Betty Cordaway could continue the action in the name of the United States.
The United States asked to receive filings, court orders, deposition transcripts, and notices of appeal. It also asked for notice and an opportunity to be heard if either party proposed dismissing, settling, or otherwise ending the case. The United States reserved its statutory rights to intervene later for good cause and to seek dismissal.
Ruling
The court granted the proposed order to unseal as modified. It ordered that:
- The complaint be unsealed and served on Toung Kang by Betty Cordaway no later than June 1, 2026. - All other contents of the court file, including the order and the United States’ notice, be unsealed after the complaint is served. - The seal be lifted for matters occurring in the case after the order. - The parties serve all pleadings, motions, and supporting memoranda on the United States. - The parties serve notices of appeal on the United States, and the court send its orders to the United States. - The United States receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before the court rules on or approves a proposed dismissal, settlement, or other discontinuation of the case.
The order also stated that the United States may order deposition transcripts and may intervene for good cause at any time.
Case Schedule and Effect
The court continued the initial case-management conference to July 30, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. by Zoom, and required a joint case-management statement by July 23, 2026. The order addressed the United States’ participation and the case’s sealed status; it did not decide the underlying False Claims Act allegations.
Judge Lisa Cisneros signed the order as a United States Magistrate Judge on March 3, 2026.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.