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Mobil Oil Corp. V. Commissioner Of Taxes Of Vermont (1979)

 

Document 1

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: January 21st, 1980
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 2

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: None
On: January 21st, 1980
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 3

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 23rd, 1980
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

Document 4

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 24th, 1980
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 24th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: January 25th, 1980
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 7

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: January 28th, 1980
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 8

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 30th, 1980
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 9

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 30th, 1980
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: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 31st, 1980
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 11

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 31st, 1980
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 4th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 13

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: February 5th, 1980
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
Action: May Write Dissenting Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will likely) write a dissenting opinion (e.g., considering a dissent, expects to write dissent, will probably write dissent, may write dissent in part, inclined to dissent, shall likely be in dissent, may not write dissent, and hope not to write dissent)

Document 14

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 29th, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 4th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 16

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 5th, 1980
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: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: March 14th, 1980
Action: Announcements of Opinion
This includes memos about the timing of a decision announcement (e.g., can we hold this case for a week; opinion should be handed down tomorrow; opinion not ready for case to come down; take as much time as you need); memos about the pace of opinion writing (e.g., a justice’s delay in a case or apologizing for a delay or holding up another justice); memo requesting that a justice make an announcement regarding an opinion

Document 18

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 19th, 1980
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