National Organization for Women, Inc. v. Scheidler (1993)
- Docket
- 92-780
- Decided
- 1993-01-01
Summary
Question: Does RICO require that an organization, to be defined as a racketeering enterprise, must be acting in pursuit of an economic motive? Conclusion: The unanimous Court held that organizations without an economic motive can detrimentally "affect interstate or foreign commerce," satisfying the RICO definition of a racketeering enterprise. An "enterprise" does not have to be an economic organization or a principally criminal organization to trigger the RICO act. Consequently, the Court reversed the appeals court decision which allowed the original case to proceed.