Cite as: 538 U. S. 119 (2003)
Opinion of the Court
Court of Appeals, in conflict with two other Circuits,6 distinguished Stevens and reversed, 277 F. 3d 969 (CA7 2002). We granted certiorari, 536 U. S. 956 (2002), and now affirm the Court of Appeals.
II
While § 3729 does not define the term "person," we have held that its meaning has remained unchanged since the original FCA was passed in 1863. Stevens, 529 U. S., at 783, n. 12. There is no doubt that the term then extended to corporations, the Court in 1826 having expressly recognized the presumption that the statutory term "person" " 'extends as well to persons politic and incorporate, as to natural persons whatsoever.' " United States v. Amedy, 11 Wheat. 392, 412 (1826) (quoting 2 E. Coke, The Second Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England 736 (1787 ed.) (reprinted in 5B 2d Historical Writings in Law and Jurisprudence (1986)); see 11 Wheat., at 412 ("That corporations are, in law, for civil purposes, deemed persons, is unquestionable"); accord, Beaston v. Farmers' Bank of Del., 12 Pet. 102, 135 (1838); see also Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 4 Wheat. 518, 667 (1819) (opinion of Story, J.) (A corporation "is, in short, an artificial person, existing in contemplation of law, and endowed with certain powers and franchises which, though they must be exercised through the medium of its natural members, are yet considered as subsisting in the corporation itself, as distinctly as if it were a real personage"). This position accorded with the common understanding among contemporary commentators that corporations were "per-sons" in the general enjoyment of the capacity to sue and be sued. See, e. g., 2 J. Bouvier, A Law Dictionary 332 (6th ed. 1856) (def. 2: The term "person" "is also used to denote a corporation which is an artificial person"); 1 S. Kyd, A Trea-6 United States ex rel. Dunleavy v. County of Delaware, 279 F. 3d 219 (CA3 2002); United States ex rel. Garibaldi v. Orleans Parish School Bd., 244 F. 3d 486 (CA5 2001).
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