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Maness V. Meyers (1974)

 

Document 1

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 29th, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 29th, 1974
Action: Cover Memo to Majority Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion
This includes a cover memo to memorandum opinion if written by the assigned author; cover memo to changes to majority opinion

Document 3

From: William O. Douglas
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: November 30th, 1974
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.
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: Warren E. Burger
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: December 2nd, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion Author's Response
May be response to a suggestion, reservation, or a separate opinion; may also say that author will respond to another opinion; may state majority opinion author's change to opinion that was not prompted by another justice; may indicate that the opinion is different from the conference discussion; may be a circulation of a portion of the opinion (a footnote, multiple pages without circulating the whole opinion); may be a suggestion from the majority opinion author regarding several options for changing majority opinion; may be a suggestion from the author for a change that could be made to opinion

Document 5

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 3rd, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: December 3rd, 1974
Action: Join Majority If...
Justice sends memo to majority opinion author that states that the conditions under which the justice can or will not join the majority opinion; this includes memos with language like will join if..., will join the majority opinion if author makes changes suggested by another justice, or will join part of majority opinion if...; these memos may also state that a justice cannot join majority opinion if..., or could not join an opinion with a particular point, will withdraw join if...

Document 7

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: December 3rd, 1974
Action: May Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice states the intent to join the majority opinion later (e.g., may join majority; will probably join majority; could join majority; agree tentatively; inclined to join; close to joining; agrees generally; agree with most of opinion; in basic agreement; intend to join; am prepared to join; expect to join; expect to join part of majority opinion; join unless someone else dissents; will join majority opinion if no majority exists; join unless someone else persuades me
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 8

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 3rd, 1974
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 9

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 3rd, 1974
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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 4th, 1974
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 11

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 4th, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion Author's Response
May be response to a suggestion, reservation, or a separate opinion; may also say that author will respond to another opinion; may state majority opinion author's change to opinion that was not prompted by another justice; may indicate that the opinion is different from the conference discussion; may be a circulation of a portion of the opinion (a footnote, multiple pages without circulating the whole opinion); may be a suggestion from the majority opinion author regarding several options for changing majority opinion; may be a suggestion from the author for a change that could be made to opinion

Document 12

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 5th, 1974
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 13

From: Byron R. White
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 5th, 1974
Action: Undecided
Justice states that he or she is undecided, including phrases like not ready to commit, need more time, not at rest, or to consider further
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.

Document 14

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 5th, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 15

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 9th, 1974
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 16

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 12th, 1974
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 17

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: December 16th, 1974
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 18

From: Potter Stewart
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: December 17th, 1974
Action: Will Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a "separate opinion" draft, including that a "separate opinion" will be out soon or that a revised draft of the "separate opinion" will be circulated

Document 19

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 17th, 1974
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 20

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 19th, 1974
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 21

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 7th, 1975
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 22

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 9th, 1975
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result