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Parham V. Hughes (1978)

 

Document 1

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: January 18th, 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 2

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 9th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: Byron R. White
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: February 10th, 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 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: February 12th, 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 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 14th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: Potter Stewart
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: February 14th, 1979
Action: Cover Memo to Majority Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion
This includes a cover memo to memorandum opinion if written by the assigned author; cover memo to changes to majority opinion
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 7

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: February 14th, 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: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 15th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 9

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: February 15th, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 10

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 26th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 11

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: February 26th, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 12

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 27th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 13

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: February 27th, 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 14

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 28th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 28th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 16

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
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 17

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 6th, 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 18

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: None
On: March 9th, 1979
Action: Will Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a "separate opinion" draft, including that a "separate opinion" will be out soon or that a revised draft of the "separate opinion" will be circulated
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 19

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 14th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 20

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 15th, 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 21

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 15th, 1979
Action: Withdraw Dissenting Opinion
This includes withdrawn dissents in part and dissents at foot

Document 22

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 15th, 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 23

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 15th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 24

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 16th, 1979
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 25

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 16th, 1979
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 26

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 26th, 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