{
  "id": 551055,
  "name": "RICHARD D. KAPLAN, M.D., MARGUERITE KAPLAN, JACOB M. KAPLAN, and DAVID S. KAPLAN v. PROLIFE ACTION LEAGUE OF GREENSBORO, WILLIAM H. WINFIELD, JR., LINDA WINFIELD, RONALD W. BENFIELD, SCOTT ALLRED, STEPHEN MICHAEL BEALL, SETH HINSHAW, ALBERT HODGES, JEFFREY ALEXANDER KENDALL, FATHER CONRAD KIMBROUGH, JULIAN McCLAMROCH, BERNARD McHALE, DUANE RICHARDSON, CANDIDO ROSARIO, a/k/a CANDIDO ROSARIO MATOS, DR. KEITH SCHIMMEL, RONALD STEINKAMP, JOHN THOMPSON, KEVIN WOLPERT, LEIGH ALLRED, KAREN L. BEANE, VIRGINIA BELL, SHARON STEELE CLARK, MARIANA DONADIO, LIBBY DUNSMORE, RHONDA EDMONDS, a/k/a RHODA EDMONDS, THERESA FARLEY, PAMELA FORD ALLISON, YVONNE FORD, HARIETTE GABRIELE, GEORGIA GAINES, ELSIE GALAN, KARIN GRUBBE, DEBORAH HEBESTREIT, DIANNE McCLAMROCH, ELAINE McHALE, REBECCA MORRISON, MONICA POLLARD, CAROL REDMOND, MARTA RICHARDSON, ELIZABETH D. SALTER, a/k/a BETTY SALTER, KIMBERLY SCHIMMEL, ANNABELLE SIMPSON, BETTY STEINKAMP, LYNN THOMPSON, LAUREL TREDDINICK, AMBER WINFIELD, CATHERINE WOLPERT, JOHN DOES XX through XXVIII, and JANE DOES XXXV through XLII",
  "name_abbreviation": "Kaplan v. Prolife Action League",
  "decision_date": "1997-11-07",
  "docket_number": "No. 450A96",
  "first_page": "342",
  "last_page": "344",
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    "name": "Supreme Court of North Carolina"
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    "parties": [
      "RICHARD D. KAPLAN, M.D., MARGUERITE KAPLAN, JACOB M. KAPLAN, and DAVID S. KAPLAN v. PROLIFE ACTION LEAGUE OF GREENSBORO, WILLIAM H. WINFIELD, JR., LINDA WINFIELD, RONALD W. BENFIELD, SCOTT ALLRED, STEPHEN MICHAEL BEALL, SETH HINSHAW, ALBERT HODGES, JEFFREY ALEXANDER KENDALL, FATHER CONRAD KIMBROUGH, JULIAN McCLAMROCH, BERNARD McHALE, DUANE RICHARDSON, CANDIDO ROSARIO, a/k/a CANDIDO ROSARIO MATOS, DR. KEITH SCHIMMEL, RONALD STEINKAMP, JOHN THOMPSON, KEVIN WOLPERT, LEIGH ALLRED, KAREN L. BEANE, VIRGINIA BELL, SHARON STEELE CLARK, MARIANA DONADIO, LIBBY DUNSMORE, RHONDA EDMONDS, a/k/a RHODA EDMONDS, THERESA FARLEY, PAMELA FORD ALLISON, YVONNE FORD, HARIETTE GABRIELE, GEORGIA GAINES, ELSIE GALAN, KARIN GRUBBE, DEBORAH HEBESTREIT, DIANNE McCLAMROCH, ELAINE McHALE, REBECCA MORRISON, MONICA POLLARD, CAROL REDMOND, MARTA RICHARDSON, ELIZABETH D. SALTER, a/k/a BETTY SALTER, KIMBERLY SCHIMMEL, ANNABELLE SIMPSON, BETTY STEINKAMP, LYNN THOMPSON, LAUREL TREDDINICK, AMBER WINFIELD, CATHERINE WOLPERT, JOHN DOES XX through XXVIII, and JANE DOES XXXV through XLII"
    ],
    "opinions": [
      {
        "text": "PER CURIAM.\nPlaintiffs\u2019 appeal to this Court is on the basis of the dissenting opinion of Judge Johnson, who dissented \u201cas to that part of the majority opinion which finds that summary judgment was properly granted for defendants Linda Winfield and the Prolife Action League of Greensboro.\u201d Kaplan v. Prolife Action League of Greensboro, 123 N.C. App. 720, 729, 475 S.E.2d 247, 254 (1996) (Johnson, J., dissenting). Judge Johnson concluded that \u201cnot only do the activities allegedly engaged in by defendants fall within the prohibited behaviors espoused in the North Carolina RICO [Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations] Act, but also that there is a sufficient causal nexus between the pecuniary gain of certain defendants and those activities in which they have engaged.\u201d Id. We agree, however, with the majority of the panel of the Court of Appeals that partial summary judgment was properly entered in defendants\u2019 favor by Judge Ross.\nIn so holding, the Court of Appeals stated:\nWe assume, without deciding, that plaintiffs have offered sufficient evidence of a pattern of racketeering activity prohibited under [N.C.G.S. \u00a7] 75D-4. Nevertheless, to withstand summary judgment, plaintiffs\u2019 forecast of evidence must also demonstrate a causal nexus between PALG\u2019s [Prolife Action League of Greensboro] alleged pecuniary gain and defendants\u2019 organized unlawful activity under [N.C.G.S. \u00a7] 75D-4.\nTo establish pecuniary gain, plaintiffs direct this Court to three checks from defendant Virginia Bell (Bell checks) and PALG newsletters which solicit contributions. It is beyond question the Bell checks clearly evidence the receipt of money by PALG. In fact, defendants admit PALG is \u201cgetting money to operate the organization.\u201d The present record is nonetheless devoid of any indication PALG derived this monetary gain from, or as a result of, activities prohibited by [N.C.G.S. \u00a7] 75D-4. On the other hand, the newsletters, unlike the Bell checks, do not, in and of themselves, establish pecuniary gain. Further, even assuming the solicitations resulted in donations, plaintiffs failed to allege, much less proffer, evidence that the donations were in any way derived as a result of organized unlawful activity prohibited by [N.C.G.S. \u00a7] 75D-4.\nId. The Court of Appeals concluded that plaintiffs had failed to establish a causal nexus between PALG\u2019s pecuniary gain, as required by N.C.G.S. \u00a7 75D-2(c), and defendants\u2019 alleged organized unlawful activity, as prohibited by N.C.G.S. \u00a7 75D-4. We agree.\nHowever, in discussing the legislative history of the North Carolina RICO Act, the Court of Appeals relied upon the minutes of a legislative committee of the General Assembly in determining legislative intent. We disavow those portions of the Court of Appeals\u2019 opinion.\nWe affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals solely for the reasons stated in this opinion.\nMODIFIED AND AFFIRMED.",
        "type": "majority",
        "author": "PER CURIAM."
      }
    ],
    "attorneys": [
      "Smith Helms Mulliss & Moore, L.L.P., by Alan W. Duncan and Matthew W. Sawchak, for plaintiff-appellants.",
      "Arthur J. Donaldson and American Center for Law & Justice, by Walter M. Weber, pro hac vice, for defendant-appellees Linda Winfield and Linda Winfield d/b/a the Prolife Action League of Greensboro."
    ],
    "corrections": "",
    "head_matter": "RICHARD D. KAPLAN, M.D., MARGUERITE KAPLAN, JACOB M. KAPLAN, and DAVID S. KAPLAN v. PROLIFE ACTION LEAGUE OF GREENSBORO, WILLIAM H. WINFIELD, JR., LINDA WINFIELD, RONALD W. BENFIELD, SCOTT ALLRED, STEPHEN MICHAEL BEALL, SETH HINSHAW, ALBERT HODGES, JEFFREY ALEXANDER KENDALL, FATHER CONRAD KIMBROUGH, JULIAN McCLAMROCH, BERNARD McHALE, DUANE RICHARDSON, CANDIDO ROSARIO, a/k/a CANDIDO ROSARIO MATOS, DR. KEITH SCHIMMEL, RONALD STEINKAMP, JOHN THOMPSON, KEVIN WOLPERT, LEIGH ALLRED, KAREN L. BEANE, VIRGINIA BELL, SHARON STEELE CLARK, MARIANA DONADIO, LIBBY DUNSMORE, RHONDA EDMONDS, a/k/a RHODA EDMONDS, THERESA FARLEY, PAMELA FORD ALLISON, YVONNE FORD, HARIETTE GABRIELE, GEORGIA GAINES, ELSIE GALAN, KARIN GRUBBE, DEBORAH HEBESTREIT, DIANNE McCLAMROCH, ELAINE McHALE, REBECCA MORRISON, MONICA POLLARD, CAROL REDMOND, MARTA RICHARDSON, ELIZABETH D. SALTER, a/k/a BETTY SALTER, KIMBERLY SCHIMMEL, ANNABELLE SIMPSON, BETTY STEINKAMP, LYNN THOMPSON, LAUREL TREDDINICK, AMBER WINFIELD, CATHERINE WOLPERT, JOHN DOES XX through XXVIII, and JANE DOES XXXV through XLII\nNo. 450A96\n(Filed 7 November 1997)\nRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations \u00a7 7 (NCI4th)\u2014 anti-abortion picketing \u2014 N.C. RICO Act action \u2014 pecuniary gain \u2014 causal nexus with unlawful activity \u2014 insufficient showing\nA doctor and members of his family who sued the Prolife Action League of Greensboro (PALG) and its president for antiabortion picketing of the family\u2019s residence and the doctor\u2019s office failed to establish a causal nexus between PALG\u2019s pecuniary gain and defendants\u2019 alleged organized unlawful activity as required by the N.C. RICO Act. N.C.G.S. \u00a7\u00a7 75D-2(c), 75D-4.\nAm Jur 2d, Extortion, Blackmail, and Threats \u00a7\u00a7 241 et seq.\nCivil action for damages under state racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations acts (RICO) for losses from racketeering activity. 62 ALR4th 654.\nAppeal by plaintiffs pursuant to N.C.G.S. \u00a7 7A-30(2) from the decision of a divided panel of the Court of Appeals, 123 N.C. App. 720, 475 S.E.2d 247 (1996), affirming partial summary judgment in favor of defendants entered by Ross, J., on 15 May 1995 in Superior Court, Guilford County. Heard in the Supreme Court 13 October 1997.\nSmith Helms Mulliss & Moore, L.L.P., by Alan W. Duncan and Matthew W. Sawchak, for plaintiff-appellants.\nArthur J. Donaldson and American Center for Law & Justice, by Walter M. Weber, pro hac vice, for defendant-appellees Linda Winfield and Linda Winfield d/b/a the Prolife Action League of Greensboro."
  },
  "file_name": "0342-01",
  "first_page_order": 382,
  "last_page_order": 384
}