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Norton V. Mathews (1975)

 

Document 1

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 15th, 1976
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: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: May 18th, 1976
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: May 19th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 1st, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 7th, 1976
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 6

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 8th, 1976
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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 11th, 1976
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

Document 8

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 14th, 1976
Action: Concur at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a concurrence (or a concurrence in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion

Document 9

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 22nd, 1976
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: Potter Stewart
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 22nd, 1976
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 23rd, 1976
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 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 25th, 1976
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: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 25th, 1976
Action: Announcements of Opinion
This includes memos about the timing of a decision announcement (e.g., can we hold this case for a week; opinion should be handed down tomorrow; opinion not ready for case to come down; take as much time as you need); memos about the pace of opinion writing (e.g., a justice’s delay in a case or apologizing for a delay or holding up another justice); memo requesting that a justice make an announcement regarding an opinion

Document 14

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 25th, 1976
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 28th, 1976
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: Withdraw Concurring Opinion
This includes withdrawn concurrences in part, concurrence in judgment, and concurrence at foot

Document 16

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: June 28th, 1976
Action: Join Dissent
Memos where a justice states that they join a dissenting opinion, including joining the dissent in part, joining a dissent from denial of cert, or joining a dissent at foot. The identity of the dissenting opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 17

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: June 28th, 1976
Action: Join Dissent
Memos where a justice states that they join a dissenting opinion, including joining the dissent in part, joining a dissent from denial of cert, or joining a dissent at foot. The identity of the dissenting opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 18

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 28th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft