"Qui tam" is an abbreviated form of the Latin legal phrase "qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur" ("he who brings a case on behalf of our lord the King, as well as for himself") In a "qui tam" action, the citizen filing suit is called a "relator".As an exception to the general legal rule of standing, courts have held that "qui tam" relators are "partially assigned" a portion of the government's legal injury, thereby allowing relators to proceed with their suits.