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Edmonds V. Compagnie Generale Transatlantique (1978)

 

Document 1

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 24th, 1979
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 2

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1979
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 3

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 26th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Potter Stewart
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: April 27th, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: April 30th, 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 6

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 1st, 1979
Action: Not Participating
These memos inform the Court whether a justice is "out" for a case; the memo may ask the opinion author to note the justice took no part in consideration of a case; memos may inform the Court that a justice is participating (e.g., not out; not recuse); memos may concern whether a justice should recuse himself or herself (e.g., may recuse self; have not decided whether to participate; do not think I should recuse); memos written by other justices about a colleague's recusal

Document 7

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 2nd, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 8

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 3rd, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 9

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 9th, 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 10

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 8th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 11

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 11th, 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 12

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 19th, 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

Document 13

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 21st, 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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 21st, 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: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: June 21st, 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 16

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 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 17

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 25th, 1979
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form