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United States V. Bailey (1979)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: John Paul Stevens
On: November 13th, 1979
Action: Dissent Opinion Assignment
The memo may ask another justice to write a dissent; a justice may indicate that the dissent will not be assigned right now; memo responding to a dissent assignment (but not accepting assignment, which would be Code 204)

Document 2

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 6th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 11th, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part
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

Document 4

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 13th, 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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 14th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 17th, 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: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 17th, 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: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 18th, 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 9

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 18th, 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: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 18th, 1979
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 11

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 19th, 1979
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: December 26th, 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.
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 13

From: Byron R. White
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 3rd, 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 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 3rd, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 4th, 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 16

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 4th, 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 17

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 7th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 10th, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 17th, 1980
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 20

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 21st, 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 21

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 12th, 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