what does "ex rel" mean

[Kathy]

I've seem "United States ex rel" on legal papers.
What does ex rel stand for?

Thanks
Kathy

[Chimpy]

"Kathy" <kathy9810@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:b98653c0.0403040051.2909d5a1@posting.google.c om...

I've seem "United States ex rel" on legal papers. What does ex rel stand for? Thanks Kathy

It means "upon being related" or "upon information."



It is used in the title of a legal proceeding filed by a state Attorney
General (or the federal Department of Justice) on behalf of the government,
on the instigation of a private person, who needs the state to enforce the
rights of himself/herself and the public.

[Ken Smith]

Kathy wrote:

I've seem "United States ex rel" on legal papers. What does ex rel stand for?

"Ex relatione," which means "on relation." For instance, "People ex
rel. Salazar" means that the people ('s interest in a matter) in a goven
jurisdiction are being represented by Salazar as an authorzed agent.

[Christopher Green]

kathy9810@yahoo.com (Kathy) wrote in message news:<b98653c0.0403040051.2909d5a1@posting.google. com>...

I've seem "United States ex rel" on legal papers. What does ex rel stand for? Thanks Kathy

It's common for the plaintiff in a "qui tam" action (a suit brought by
a person on behalf of a government) to be styled "on the relation of"
or "ex rel.". For example, in "Kingdom of Fredonia, ex rel. Rufus T.
Firefly", Firefly is a "relator" who is acting on behalf of Fredonia
to pursue an action that is in the interest of both. False Claims Act
cases, which a person files on behalf of the government, in
expectation of a share of an eventual award, are often styled "United
States, ex rel. D. S. Gruntled" or the like.

--
Not a lawyer,

Chris Green

[Kathy]

cj.green@worldnet.att.net (Christopher Green) wrote in message news:<c31fa7b1.0403041005.5ea2e65c@posting.google. com>...

kathy9810@yahoo.com (Kathy) wrote in message news:<b98653c0.0403040051.2909d5a1@posting.google. com>...

I've seem "United States ex rel" on legal papers. What does ex rel stand for? Thanks Kathy

It's common for the plaintiff in a "qui tam" action (a suit brought by a person on behalf of a government) to be styled "on the relation of" or "ex rel.". For example, in "Kingdom of Fredonia, ex rel. Rufus T. Firefly", Firefly is a "relator" who is acting on behalf of Fredonia to pursue an action that is in the interest of both. False Claims Act cases, which a person files on behalf of the government, in expectation of a share of an eventual award, are often styled "United States, ex rel. D. S. Gruntled" or the like.

Thanks again to all who responded.

Kathy