National Organization for Women v. Scheidler

Not to be confused with the 2003 and 2006 cases both named Scheidler v. National Organization for Women (disambiguation).

Supreme Court of the United States

Argued December 8, 1993
Decided January 24, 1994

Full case name

National Organization for Women, Inc., et al. v. Joseph Scheidler, et al.

Citations

510 U.S. 249 (more)

Holding

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act applies to enterprises without economic motives, including anti-abortion protesters. Seventh Circuit reversed.

Court membership

Chief Justice William Rehnquist

Associate Justices Harry Blackmun · John P. Stevens Sandra Day O'Connor · Antonin Scalia Anthony Kennedy · David Souter Clarence Thomas · Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Case opinions

Majority

Rehnquist, joined by unanimous

Concurrence

Souter, joined by Kennedy

Laws applied

18 U.S.C. § 1961–1968 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO)

National Organization for Women v. Scheidler, 510 U.S. 249 (1994), is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) could apply to enterprises without economic motives; pro-life protesters could thus be prosecuted under it. An organization without an economic motive can still affect interstate or foreign commerce and thus satisfy the Act's definition of a racketeering enterprise.

The Court did not issue judgment on whether or not the Pro-Life Action Network, the organization in question, had committed actions that could be prosecuted under RICO.

G. Robert Blakey argued on behalf of Scheidler, while Miguel Estrada represented the United States as amicus curiae in favor of reversal.

External links

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