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Paul V. Davis (1975)

 

Document 1

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 16th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 16th, 1976
Action: Will Write Dissenting Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a dissenting opinion draft, including that a dissenting opinion will be out soon or that a revised draft of the dissenting opinion will be circulated; this also applies to statements responding to dissent assignments like will be glad to write dissent, self-assignment of dissent (e.g., we are in dissent and I will write it), or requesting permission to write dissent (e.g., is it ok if I write a dissent)

Document 3

From: Potter Stewart
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 19th, 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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 21st, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 5

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 27th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Potter Stewart
On: February 9th, 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

Document 7

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Potter Stewart
On: February 10th, 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 8

From: Potter Stewart
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Lewis F. Powell
On: February 10th, 1976
Action: Endorse Another Justice's Suggestion
Memos where a justice states agreement with another justice's suggestion to the majority opinion author (e.g., I am about where Justice X is, agree with Justice X's letter to you, I have no problem with Justice X's suggestion, agree with another justice's comment, is Justice X's suggestion ok with you). The identity of the justice whose suggestion is endorsed is located in the JOINED variable.
Action: Agree with Opinion Author
Memo expresses justice's agreement with a majority opinion author's proposal, footnote, or proposed change; justice might state that he or she is open to the change

Document 9

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

Document 10

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: February 21st, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 3rd, 1976
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 12

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 4th, 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 13

From: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 4th, 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.
Action: Suggestion to Separate Opinion
Memo states includes a justice's suggestion for a separate opinion (e.g., don't agree with reasoning of separate opinion; comment on separate opinion; will join separate opinion if; cannot join separate opinion; will be making suggestion to separate opinion). The identity of the separate opinion author who receives suggestion is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 14

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 4th, 1976
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 15

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: March 9th, 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 16

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 17th, 1976
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 17

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: March 18th, 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 18

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: April 1st, 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 19

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 1st, 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