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Beal V. Doe (1976)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: January 27th, 1977
Action: Dissent Opinion Assignment
The memo may ask another justice to write a dissent; a justice may indicate that the dissent will not be assigned right now; memo responding to a dissent assignment (but not accepting assignment, which would be Code 204)

Document 2

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 28th, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 29th, 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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 2nd, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 5

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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 6

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 3rd, 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: Potter Stewart
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 3rd, 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 8

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 31st, 1977
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 9

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: May 31st, 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 10

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 1st, 1977
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 11

From: Byron R. White
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 1st, 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 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 1st, 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 13

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: June 1st, 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 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 2nd, 1977
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 2nd, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 16

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 2nd, 1977
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 17

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 6th, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 14th, 1977
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 17th, 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 17th, 1977
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 21

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 20th, 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