From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 25th, 1980
Action: Suggestion to Majority OpinionThis 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 "Separate Opinion"A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will probably) write a "separate opinion"
Action: Announcements of OpinionThis 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