{"argument_date":"2009-01-14T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-01-14T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2008","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Yang argued the enterprise need not have an ascertainable structure distinct from the predicate act.","Mr. Fernich argued the defendant has a right to an independent jury determination of each essential element.","Justice Ginsburg questioned the meaning of ascertainable structural hierarchy in the jury charge."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-33"}]}],"caption":"Boyle v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.699904Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a criminal group must have a distinct organizational structure beyond the specific crimes it commits to qualify as a RICO enterprise.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-01-14T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2008","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/07-1309.html","primary_docket":"07-1309","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T21:19:38.751715Z","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":["This case tests the definition of a RICO enterprise. the side that brought the case argues the law does not require a distinct structure. The government argues the group must be more than just the criminal acts themselves."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 14, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the conviction overturned because the jury did not find a distinct enterprise structure.","The government wants the conviction to stand because the criminal acts themselves formed the enterprise."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues RICO text and context show the enterprise definition is broad and lacks a structural limitation.","The government argues the jury must independently determine that the enterprise is more than a duplication of the pattern."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if the structure requirement applies only to the Brinks job.","Justice Ginsburg asked what the minimum requirement is to qualify as having a structure."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-33"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of federal racketeering laws. It determines whether prosecutors can charge individuals for criminal acts without proving a separate organizational hierarchy. The outcome shapes how courts interpret enterprise requirements in future RICO prosecutions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"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 3, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-33"}]}],"slug":"2008-07-1309-boyle-v-united-states","term":"2008","title":"Does a RICO enterprise require a structure separate from the criminal acts?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1309.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}