Filed: Jul. 03, 2012
Latest Update: Mar. 26, 2017
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED _ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS ELEVENTH CIRCUIT JULY 3, 2012 No. 11-11102 JOHN LEY _ CLERK D. C. Docket No. 9:09-cv-81616-WPD BRETT STRONG, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus KIMC INVESTMENTS, INC., a Delaware Corporation, d.b.a. MedVance Institute, Defendant-Appellee. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida _ (July 3, 2012) Before CARNES, BARKETT and BLACK, Circuit Judges. PER CUR
Summary: [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED _ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS ELEVENTH CIRCUIT JULY 3, 2012 No. 11-11102 JOHN LEY _ CLERK D. C. Docket No. 9:09-cv-81616-WPD BRETT STRONG, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus KIMC INVESTMENTS, INC., a Delaware Corporation, d.b.a. MedVance Institute, Defendant-Appellee. _ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida _ (July 3, 2012) Before CARNES, BARKETT and BLACK, Circuit Judges. PER CURI..
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[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT FILED
________________________ U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
JULY 3, 2012
No. 11-11102
JOHN LEY
________________________
CLERK
D. C. Docket No. 9:09-cv-81616-WPD
BRETT STRONG,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
KIMC INVESTMENTS, INC., a Delaware Corporation,
d.b.a. MedVance Institute,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Florida
_________________________
(July 3, 2012)
Before CARNES, BARKETT and BLACK, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Brett Strong brought a claim of retaliatory discharge against KIMC
Investments, Inc. (KIMC), pursuant to the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(h). The district court granted KIMC’s motion to dismiss Strong’s Second
Amended Complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to
state a claim under which relief could be granted, concluding Strong had failed to
sufficiently allege that (1) KIMC made a false claim against the government or
(2) KIMC feared being reported to the government or sued in a qui tam action by
Strong. Strong appeals, alleging that he adequately alleged a claim under
§ 3730(h).
“We review de novo the district court’s grant of a motion to dismiss under
[Rule] 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim, accepting the factual allegations in the
complaint as true and construing them in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.”
Glover v. Liggett Grp., Inc.,
459 F.3d 1304, 1308 (11th Cir. 2006). To survive a
motion to dismiss, a plaintiff must allege “enough facts to state a claim to relief
that is plausible on its face.” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly,
550 U.S. 544, 570
(2007). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content
that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable
for the misconduct alleged.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal,
556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009).
“Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere
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conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. If a court can only infer “the mere
possibility of misconduct” from the complaint, the plaintiff has not shown an
entitlement to relief. Id. at 679.
After reviewing the record and the parties’ briefs, and having had the
benefit of oral argument, we agree with the district court that the allegations in
Strong’s Second Amended Complaint are insufficient to state a claim of retaliation
under the FCA by KIMC. Thus, we affirm the district court.
AFFIRMED.
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