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Brown V. Illinois (1974)

 

Document 1

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: None provided.
Action: Proposes Disposition of Held Cases
Memo lists cases held for an opinion and gives cert votes or votes on the merits for the held cases; justice may state that held cases should be discussed at conference

Document 2

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 6th, 1975
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 9th, 1975
Action: May Write Concurring Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will likely) write a concurring opinion; this also applies to opinions that concur in part, concurrences in judgment, or concurrences at foot.
Action: Suggestion to Majority Opinion
This includes memo with broad statements including that a justice cannot join the opinion, cannot join a part of the opinion, does not agree with the opinion, or has continuing doubts with the opinion; memos that indicate that the author's change is not enough; memos that make suggestions for specific changes to majority opinion or that express reservations about some aspect of the majority opinion; this code is also given for suggestions to memorandum opinions by an assigned author

Document 4

From: Potter Stewart
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 9th, 1975
Action: Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins the majority opinion includes please join me; I agree; I am still with you; I acquiesce; I will go along; I dissent but will be silent; graveyard join or dissent. This code includes join of memorandum opinions if it is written by the assigned author, orders if it disposes of case, decrees, per curiam opinions. It also includes statements that the justice joins, but subject to what others might write.

Document 5

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 9th, 1975
Action: Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins the majority opinion includes please join me; I agree; I am still with you; I acquiesce; I will go along; I dissent but will be silent; graveyard join or dissent. This code includes join of memorandum opinions if it is written by the assigned author, orders if it disposes of case, decrees, per curiam opinions. It also includes statements that the justice joins, but subject to what others might write.

Document 6

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 9th, 1975
Action: Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins the majority opinion includes please join me; I agree; I am still with you; I acquiesce; I will go along; I dissent but will be silent; graveyard join or dissent. This code includes join of memorandum opinions if it is written by the assigned author, orders if it disposes of case, decrees, per curiam opinions. It also includes statements that the justice joins, but subject to what others might write.

Document 7

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 10th, 1975
Action: Concur in Judgment at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a concurrence in judgment or the result be noted at the foot of an opinion, including a concur in judgment or result in part at foot

Document 8

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 10th, 1975
Action: Will Not Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she will not write a "separate opinion"
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 9

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 10th, 1975
Action: Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins the majority opinion includes please join me; I agree; I am still with you; I acquiesce; I will go along; I dissent but will be silent; graveyard join or dissent. This code includes join of memorandum opinions if it is written by the assigned author, orders if it disposes of case, decrees, per curiam opinions. It also includes statements that the justice joins, but subject to what others might write.

Document 10

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1975
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 11

From: William O. Douglas
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 11th, 1975
Action: Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins the majority opinion includes please join me; I agree; I am still with you; I acquiesce; I will go along; I dissent but will be silent; graveyard join or dissent. This code includes join of memorandum opinions if it is written by the assigned author, orders if it disposes of case, decrees, per curiam opinions. It also includes statements that the justice joins, but subject to what others might write.

Document 12

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 18th, 1975
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 13

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 18th, 1975
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 14

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 19th, 1975
Action: Cover Memo to Separate Opinion
This indicates a cover memo to any separate opinion, including concurring, dissenting, or any other type of separate opinion

Document 15

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 20th, 1975
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 16

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 23rd, 1975
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft