October Term 2008 · Docket 07-1309
Does a RICO enterprise require a structure separate from the criminal acts?
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.
Verified source milestones
- — 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
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.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-13 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 31-33
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-41
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 14, 2009.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
What each side wants
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-41
What each side says
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-41
What the justices asked
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-13 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 31-33
Why it matters
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-41
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 3, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-13 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 31-33
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 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-41
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.