October Term 2016 · Docket 16-142
Can the government seize all proceeds from a conspiracy even if one member received none?
The dispute centers on whether federal law allows the government to seize all proceeds from a conspiracy, even if one member received none.
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
Mr. Unikowsky argued the side that brought the case received nothing from the sales.
He stated the government seeks to hold him liable for the full amount.
He claimed this position contradicts the text and purpose of the statute.
Justice Alito asked how the rule would work in drug conspiracy cases.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 40-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 40-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 28-34 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 28-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 6-26 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 6-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 28-34 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 28-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 38-40 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 38-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 6-8 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 6-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-50
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of federal forfeiture law. the side that brought the case argues the statute limits seizure to proceeds a defendant actually received. The government argues the statute covers all proceeds from the conspiracy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 6-26 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 6-26
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 29, 2017.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 6-8 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 6-8
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the court to limit seizure to proceeds he actually received.
The government wants the court to allow seizure of all proceeds from the conspiracy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 6-26 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 6-26
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the statute text and purpose limit liability to individual proceeds.
The government argues the statute covers all proceeds generated by the conspiracy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 6-26 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 6-26
What the justices asked
Justice Kagan asked about the government's shifting theory on what counts as new proceeds.
Justice Sotomayor asked if the ruling would undo the RICO statute's joint liability rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 40-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 40-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 28-34 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 28-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 28-34 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 28-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 38-40 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 38-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 6-8 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 6-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-50
Why it matters
This case determines how much money the government can seize from criminal conspiracies. It affects the financial liability of every member of a group crime. It defines the scope of federal forfeiture power in multi-defendant cases.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 6-26 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 6-26
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 10, lines 26-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 40-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 40-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 28-34 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 28-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 28-34 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 28-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 38-40 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 38-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 6-8 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 6-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-50
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 18, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 6-26 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 6-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 42-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 42-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 6-26 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 6-26
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.