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Coker V. Georgia (1976)

 

Document 1

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 31st, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion Assignment
This may be an assignment of either the majority opinion or a memorandum opinion; memo may state that a justice has agreed to undertake the opinion of the Court; memo reassigns the case

Document 2

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 6th, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 6th, 1977
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: Potter Stewart
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 9th, 1977
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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 9th, 1977
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: May Write Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will likely) write an opinion that concurs in part and dissents in part

Document 6

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 10th, 1977
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 J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 10th, 1977
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: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 16th, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 9

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 16th, 1977
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 10

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 17th, 1977
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 11

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 26th, 1977
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 12

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 2nd, 1977
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 13

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 8th, 1977
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 14

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 15th, 1977
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: June 17th, 1977
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 16

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Potter Stewart, Lewis F. Powell
On: June 17th, 1977
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 17

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 21st, 1977
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 18

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 23rd, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 19

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 27th, 1977
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 20

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 28th, 1977
Action: Separate Opinion Author's Response
Circulation of Change to Separate Opinion (e.g., footnote, portion of opinion, adding paragraph); this occurs in a memo, not on a draft opinion; circulation of change to unlabeled opinion