October Term 2005 · Docket 05-465
Can a corporation be a RICO enterprise?
Mohawk Industries and the plaintiffs dispute whether a single company can form a criminal enterprise under federal law.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
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.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-54 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 41-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 3-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 1-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 1-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 17-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 31-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-1
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Mohawk Industries seeks to limit the definition of a RICO enterprise. The plaintiffs argue the company acted as a criminal group.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 17-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 31-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 17-19
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 26, 2006.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-25
What each side wants
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 17-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 31-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 17-19
What each side says
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 17-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 31-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 17-19
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked if five individuals could form an enterprise.
Justice Scalia asked why the issue was not raised in lower courts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-54 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 41-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 3-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 1-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 1-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-1
Why it matters
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 17-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 31-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 17-19
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-54 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 41-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 3-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 1-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 1-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-1
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 17-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 31-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 17-1 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 17-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 31-54 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 31-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 17-19
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.