{"argument_date":"2006-04-26T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2006-04-26T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2005","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","paragraphs":["Mohawk Industries argues that a corporation is a single legal entity.","The plaintiffs argue that the company and recruiters formed a criminal group.","Justice Breyer questioned the logic of excluding corporations from enterprise definitions.","Justice Scalia questioned whether the issue was properly before the Court."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 1-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 1-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 31-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 39-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 49-1"}]}],"caption":"Mohawk Industries, Inc. v. Williams","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.519545Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.547947Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Mohawk Industries and the plaintiffs dispute whether a single company can form a criminal enterprise under federal law.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 31-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-19"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2006-04-26T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2005","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/05-465.html","primary_docket":"05-465","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T13:23:56.354069Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["Mohawk Industries seeks to limit the definition of a RICO enterprise. The plaintiffs argue the company acted as a criminal group."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 31-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 26, 2006."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Mohawk Industries wants the Court to rule that a corporation cannot be a RICO enterprise.","The plaintiffs want the Court to allow a corporation to be a RICO enterprise."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 31-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Mohawk Industries argues that a corporation is a single legal entity, not a group.","The plaintiffs argue that the company and its recruiters formed a concerted criminal venture."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 31-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Breyer asked if five individuals could form an enterprise.","Justice Scalia asked why the issue was not raised in lower courts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 1-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 1-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 39-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 49-1"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of federal racketeering laws. It determines who can be sued for organized crime. It affects corporate liability and civil rights enforcement."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 31-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 1-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 1-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 39-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 49-1"}]}],"slug":"2005-05-465-mohawk-industries-inc-v-williams","term":"2005","title":"Can a corporation be a RICO enterprise?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 31-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/05-465.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-19"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}