Qui Tam
Defined in 2 dictionaries — Black's (1910), Bouvier (1839)
Black's Law Dictionary
Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
Lat "Who as well--------------." An action brought by an ihformer, under a statute which establishes a penalty for the commission or omission of a certain act, and provides that the same shall be recovorable in a civil action, part of the penalty to go to any person who will bring such action and the remainder to the sinte or some other institution, is called a "qui tarn action;" because the plaintiff states that he sues as well for the state as for himself. See In re Barker, 56 Vt. 14; Grover v. Morris, 73 N. Y. 478
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
John Bouvier · 1839
remedies. Who as well. When a statute imposes a penalty, for the doing or not doing an act, and gives that penalty in part to whosoever will sue for the same, and the other part to the commonwealth, or some charitable, literary, or other institution, and makes it recoverable by action, such actions are called qué tam actions, the plaintiff describing himself as suing as well for jhe commonwealth (for example,) as for himself. Espin. on Pen. Act. 5, 6; 1 Vin. Ab. 197; 1 Salk. $29 n.; 1 Bac. Ab. 61.