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County Of Los Angeles V. Davis (1978)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 2nd, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 2nd, 1979
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: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 3rd, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 4

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Potter Stewart
On: January 3rd, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part
Action: Suggestion before Majority Opinion Circulated
Justice makes a suggestion or lays out position in the case before the majority opinion is circulated; discussion of issues before an opinion has been drafted; memo laying out other justice's position or describing how other justices’ have voted so far in the case; lays out position without directing it at a circulating opinion

Document 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 3rd, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 6

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 3rd, 1979
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: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 4th, 1979
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: January 4th, 1979
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 9

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Potter Stewart
On: January 4th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion Author's Response
May be a response to a suggestion, majority opinion, or another separate opinion; it may say the author made changes and see the attached opinion; it may indicate the opinion has been changed although not prompted by someone else

Document 10

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 11th, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 11

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 22nd, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 12

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 24th, 1979
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 13

From: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 24th, 1979
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 14

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 24th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion Author's Response
May be a response to a suggestion, majority opinion, or another separate opinion; it may say the author made changes and see the attached opinion; it may indicate the opinion has been changed although not prompted by someone else

Document 15

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 24th, 1979
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.

Document 16

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 26th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 17

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 29th, 1979
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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 30th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 19

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 15th, 1979
Action: Propose Disposition in Case (Vote in a Case)
DIG (dismiss cert as improvidently granted); want to reach merits instead of DIG; would not DIG; affirm; reverse; remand; vacate; moot; court lacks jurisdiction; conference vote; withhold vote for now; defer vote; adhere to conference vote; initial vote in case; change conference vote; memo asking how others' vote on disposition

Document 20

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 2nd, 1979
Action: May Join Memorandum Opinion (Author is not Assigned Justice)
Memo stating that the justice agrees, but does not join, the memorandum opinion (or per curiam opinion) written by a justice who was not assigned the opinion (e.g., agree and will join if it becomes opinion; agree with suggested order). The identity of the justice whose opinion is endorsed is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 21

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 5th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 22

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 8th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 23

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 14th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 24

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: March 22nd, 1979
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 25

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 26th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 26

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 29th, 1979
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