Show / Hide Files

Goldberg V. United States (1975)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 20th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 23rd, 1976
Action: Join Part of Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins part of a majority opinion or where a justice joins all but part "X" of the majority opinion
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 3

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 23rd, 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 4

From: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 24th, 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 5

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 25th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 26th, 1976
Action: Cover Memo to Memorandum Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion (not assigned author)
Cover Memo to Memorandum Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion (not assigned author)
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 7

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 26th, 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 8

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 26th, 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 9

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 26th, 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: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 26th, 1976
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 11

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: March 1st, 1976
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: Warren E. Burger
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 4th, 1976
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
Action: Await Concurrence
Justice awaits a concurring opinion, including an opinion that concurs in part or that concurs in judgment

Document 13

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 5th, 1976
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 14

From: Potter Stewart
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: March 5th, 1976
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 15

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 5th, 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
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
Action: Will Write Concurring Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a concurring opinion draft, including that a concurring opinion will be out soon or that a revised draft of the concurring opinion will be circulated; this may also apply to opinions that concur in part or concur in the judgment or result

Document 16

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 8th, 1976
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 17

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 10th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 18th, 1976
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 19

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 20th, 1976
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 20

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 22nd, 1976
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 21

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 25th, 1976
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result