Enterprise as an element distinct from the pattern of racketeering activity

AND · 18usc1962:enterprise.distinct-from-pattern

Boyle's operative rule is that enterprise and pattern remain distinct elements, while an association-in-fact needs purpose, relationships, and longevity rather than an additional structure requirement.

Exact element source

any enterprise
Source: docroot/ir/usc/title18.jsonl#title18_sec1962; Unicode character offsets [500:514] (end exclusive); SHA-256 6caae47f43b5ab0899b660616e298363bd36f9f540d915c2be11eb7126f5e27d.

All variants

Recorded DB variant labels, including zero-count variants
VariantDescriptionMerits instance blocksDistinct casesExample cases (up to 3 per group)
distinct-from-pattern/enterprise-defined-only-by-predicate-acts1
Satisfied 0; not satisfied 1; excluded context 0
1/f-supp/567/1146-01 — United States District Court for the District of New Jersey · 1983 — not
distinct-from-pattern/inferable-from-pattern-evidence0
Satisfied 0; not satisfied 0; excluded context 1
0No counted merits examples

Excluded context examples: /us/556/0938-01 — Supreme Court of the United States · 2009 — rule-announced/merits

How courts decided this element

Annotation blocks, including explicitly excluded context
CaseElementHolding and scopeVariantExact source quotations
/f-supp/567/1146-01 — United States District Court for the District of New Jersey · 1983Enterprise as an element distinct from the pattern of racketeering activitynot
Counted merits instance
applied / merits

basis: pleaded; claim: (b),(c),(d)

distinct-from-pattern/enterprise-defined-only-by-predicate-acts
In fact, the alleged “enterprise” involving Southmost, Tri-State, Gellman, and Alfieri only can be understood in terms of the fraudulent acts that plaintiff claims the defendants committed.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f_supp_567.jsonl#/f-supp/567/1146-01; Unicode character offsets [18371:18560] (end exclusive); SHA-256 3836bc32665b8e1a72ea181c77043419d514089c013853f5fc10624d665e146c.

Evidence kind: fact; polarity: cuts-against; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

As the Third Circuit interprets this third requirement, it is necessary for the plaintiff to show that the enterprise has an existence beyond that which is necessary merely to commit the alleged predicate racketeering offenses.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f_supp_567.jsonl#/f-supp/567/1146-01; Unicode character offsets [17774:18001] (end exclusive); SHA-256 3836bc32665b8e1a72ea181c77043419d514089c013853f5fc10624d665e146c.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

I find that the First Count of plaintiff’s complaint fails to satisfy the separate existence requirement since it pleads the existence of an “enterprise” which is apparently synonymous with the defendants’ alleged “pattern of racketeering activity.”
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f_supp_567.jsonl#/f-supp/567/1146-01; Unicode character offsets [18597:18846] (end exclusive); SHA-256 3836bc32665b8e1a72ea181c77043419d514089c013853f5fc10624d665e146c.

Evidence kind: held; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

/us/556/0938-01 — Supreme Court of the United States · 2009Enterprise as an element distinct from the pattern of racketeering activitynot_reached
Excluded from merits counts
rule-announced / merits

claim: (c),(d)

Enterprise and pattern are separate elements, but the same evidence may prove both; no "ascertainable structure beyond that inherent in the pattern" instruction is required.
distinct-from-pattern/inferable-from-pattern-evidence
the existence of an enterprise is an element distinct from the pattern of racketeering activity and “proof of one does not necessarily establish the other.”
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/us_556.jsonl#/us/556/0938-01; Unicode character offsets [10143:10299] (end exclusive); SHA-256 99ef954d45808712c583df14cb17e97e5d92bb262b6755f45cc77de65f9c6a51.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

if the phrase is used to mean that the existence of an enterprise may never be inferred from the evidence showing that persons associated with the enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, it is incorrect
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/us_556.jsonl#/us/556/0938-01; Unicode character offsets [10338:10558] (end exclusive); SHA-256 99ef954d45808712c583df14cb17e97e5d92bb262b6755f45cc77de65f9c6a51.

Evidence kind: rule; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

This instruction properly conveyed the point we made in Turkette that proof of a pattern of racketeering activity may be sufficient in a particular case to permit a jury to infer the existence of an assoeiation-in-fact enterprise.
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/us_556.jsonl#/us/556/0938-01; Unicode character offsets [18075:18305] (end exclusive); SHA-256 99ef954d45808712c583df14cb17e97e5d92bb262b6755f45cc77de65f9c6a51.

Evidence kind: held; polarity: not recorded; absent flag: 0; quoted-rule flag: 0 (1 = tagged; 0 = not tagged)

Court interpretations

interpretation

the existence of an enterprise is an element distinct from the pattern of racketeering activity and “proof of one does not necessarily establish the other.”

/us/556/0938-01 — Supreme Court of the United States · 2009

the existence of an enterprise is an element distinct from the pattern of racketeering activity and “proof of one does not necessarily establish the other.”
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/us_556.jsonl#/us/556/0938-01; Unicode character offsets [10143:10299] (end exclusive); SHA-256 99ef954d45808712c583df14cb17e97e5d92bb262b6755f45cc77de65f9c6a51.

Boyle's operative rule is that enterprise and pattern remain distinct elements, while an association-in-fact needs purpose, relationships, and longevity rather than an additional structure requirement.

interpretation

if the phrase is used to mean that the existence of an enterprise may never be inferred from the evidence showing that persons associated with the enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, it is incorrect

/us/556/0938-01 — Supreme Court of the United States · 2009

if the phrase is used to mean that the existence of an enterprise may never be inferred from the evidence showing that persons associated with the enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, it is incorrect
Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/us_556.jsonl#/us/556/0938-01; Unicode character offsets [10338:10558] (end exclusive); SHA-256 99ef954d45808712c583df14cb17e97e5d92bb262b6755f45cc77de65f9c6a51.

Boyle's operative rule is that enterprise and pattern remain distinct elements, while an association-in-fact needs purpose, relationships, and longevity rather than an additional structure requirement.

historical-note

Historical pre-Boyle ascertainable-structure formulation in Seville/Chang (dated doctrine; not an operative post-Boyle requirement)

No source quotation recorded.