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Ferri V. Ackerman (1979)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall, Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: October 9th, 1979
Action: Will Write Concurring Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a concurring opinion draft, including that a concurring opinion will be out soon or that a revised draft of the concurring opinion will be circulated; this may also apply to opinions that concur in part or concur in the judgment or result

Document 2

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 31st, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: Potter Stewart
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: October 31st, 1979
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 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: November 1st, 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 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 1st, 1979
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: Disagrees with Opinion Author
Memo expresses a justice's disagreement with an opinion author's letter, proposal, or footnote

Document 6

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 1st, 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: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: November 2nd, 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 8

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 2nd, 1979
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: Join Majority If...
Justice sends memo to majority opinion author that states that the conditions under which the justice can or will not join the majority opinion; this includes memos with language like will join if..., will join the majority opinion if author makes changes suggested by another justice, or will join part of majority opinion if...; these memos may also state that a justice cannot join majority opinion if..., or could not join an opinion with a particular point, will withdraw join if...

Document 9

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 2nd, 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: Warren E. Burger
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 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 11

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Potter Stewart, Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: November 6th, 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 12

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 6th, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 13

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: November 6th, 1979
Action: Change is Acceptable
Memo indicating that a change to majority opinion is acceptable to a justice (e.g., suggested change is ok with me; like changes in majority opinion).

Document 14

From: Potter Stewart
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 6th, 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 15

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 6th, 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 16

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 6th, 1979
Action: Will Circulate Majority Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a majority opinion draft, including that an opinion will be out soon or that the author will revise majority opinion without stating the changes

Document 17

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 6th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 7th, 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 19

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 7th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 20

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 8th, 1979
Action: May Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice states the intent to join the majority opinion later (e.g., may join majority; will probably join majority; could join majority; agree tentatively; inclined to join; close to joining; agrees generally; agree with most of opinion; in basic agreement; intend to join; am prepared to join; expect to join; expect to join part of majority opinion; join unless someone else dissents; will join majority opinion if no majority exists; join unless someone else persuades me
Action: Undecided
Justice states that he or she is undecided, including phrases like not ready to commit, need more time, not at rest, or to consider further

Document 21

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 8th, 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 22

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 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 23

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 4th, 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