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Estes V. Metropolitan Branches Of Dallas Naacp (1979)

 

Document 1

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: October 29th, 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
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: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 31st, 1979
Action: Need a Majority Opinion?
Memo that questions whether the Court needs to issue a majority opinion

Document 3

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 2nd, 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 4

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 6th, 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 5

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Potter Stewart, William H. Rehnquist
Copied: None
On: December 27th, 1979
Action: Cover Memo to Separate Opinion
This indicates a cover memo to any separate opinion, including concurring, dissenting, or any other type of separate opinion
Action: Attached Material Relevant to a Case
This may include memos about maps or pictures that will be incorporated in opinion; cover memo to circulation of some relevant non-case material for an opinion (e.g., newspaper article, related lower court opinion); memos may mention extra-court material that might be relevant (e.g., congressional hearings, a statute, other opinions that are somehow (perhaps tangentially) related to case at hand); circulation of clerk’s memo about case

Document 6

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 16th, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 7

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: January 16th, 1980
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 8

From: Potter Stewart
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: January 16th, 1980
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 9

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: January 17th, 1980
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 10

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 18th, 1980
Action: Per Curiam Opinion
This refers to a draft per curiam opinion

Document 11

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 18th, 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 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 18th, 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