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New York Gaslight Club, Inc. V. Carey (1979)

 

Document 1

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: March 4th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion Assignment
This may be an assignment of either the majority opinion or a memorandum opinion; memo may state that a justice has agreed to undertake the opinion of the Court; memo reassigns the case

Document 2

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 19th, 1980
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 3

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 19th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White, William H. Rehnquist
Copied: None
On: May 20th, 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 5

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 20th, 1980
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 6

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 20th, 1980
Action: Dissent at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a dissent (or a dissent in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion; it also includes at foot opinions that indicates the justice wants the Court to hear arguments and decide rather than dismiss or decide summarily

Document 7

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 20th, 1980
Action: Dissent at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a dissent (or a dissent in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion; it also includes at foot opinions that indicates the justice wants the Court to hear arguments and decide rather than dismiss or decide summarily

Document 8

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 20th, 1980
Action: Dissent at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a dissent (or a dissent in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion; it also includes at foot opinions that indicates the justice wants the Court to hear arguments and decide rather than dismiss or decide summarily

Document 9

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 20th, 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 10

From: Potter Stewart
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 20th, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 20th, 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: Thurgood Marshall
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 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 13

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 1980
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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 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 15

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 23rd, 1980
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 16

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 23rd, 1980
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 17

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 29th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 4th, 1980
Action: Join Part of Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins part of a majority opinion or where a justice joins all but part "X" of the majority opinion
Action: Concur at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a concurrence (or a concurrence in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion

Document 19

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: June 5th, 1980
Action: Concur at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a concurrence (or a concurrence in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion

Document 20

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: June 5th, 1980
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 21

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 5th, 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