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Walter V. United States (1979)

 

Document 1

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 3rd, 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 2

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 3rd, 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 3

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 3rd, 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 4

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 3rd, 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 5

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 3rd, 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 6

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: March 3rd, 1980
Action: Memo About Opinion Assignment
This excludes memos that assign the opinion (see Code 606), but includes memos where a justice expresses the view that a case should be reassigned or a response to a majority opinion assignment; justice may request that majority opinion not be assigned to that justice; a justice may question why the opinion was not assigned; a justice (perhaps the Chief Justice) may tell a justice to assign the opinion; a memo may discuss not assigning the opinion to any justice

Document 7

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 3rd, 1980
Action: Memo About Opinion Assignment
This excludes memos that assign the opinion (see Code 606), but includes memos where a justice expresses the view that a case should be reassigned or a response to a majority opinion assignment; justice may request that majority opinion not be assigned to that justice; a justice may question why the opinion was not assigned; a justice (perhaps the Chief Justice) may tell a justice to assign the opinion; a memo may discuss not assigning the opinion to any justice

Document 8

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 3rd, 1980
Action: Memo About Opinion Assignment
This excludes memos that assign the opinion (see Code 606), but includes memos where a justice expresses the view that a case should be reassigned or a response to a majority opinion assignment; justice may request that majority opinion not be assigned to that justice; a justice may question why the opinion was not assigned; a justice (perhaps the Chief Justice) may tell a justice to assign the opinion; a memo may discuss not assigning the opinion to any justice

Document 9

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: March 6th, 1980
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 10

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 6th, 1980
Action: Memo About Opinion Assignment
This excludes memos that assign the opinion (see Code 606), but includes memos where a justice expresses the view that a case should be reassigned or a response to a majority opinion assignment; justice may request that majority opinion not be assigned to that justice; a justice may question why the opinion was not assigned; a justice (perhaps the Chief Justice) may tell a justice to assign the opinion; a memo may discuss not assigning the opinion to any justice

Document 11

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 6th, 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 12

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: March 7th, 1980
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 13

From: Potter Stewart
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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: Thurgood Marshall
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a concurrence in judgment or the result be noted at the foot of an opinion, including a concur in judgment or result in part at foot

Document 16

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 2nd, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 17

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 6th, 1980
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part
Action: May Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will probably) write a "separate opinion"

Document 18

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 6th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 19

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 19th, 1980
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 20

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 21

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 20th, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 22

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 21st, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 23

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 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 24

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: May 27th, 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 25

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 30th, 1980
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 26

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 2nd, 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 27

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: June 3rd, 1980
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: 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 28

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 4th, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 29

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 5th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 30

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 9th, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 31

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 9th, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 32

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 33

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 34

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1980
Action: Withdraw Join of Majority Opinion
This includes withdrawing joins of a per curiam opinion written by the assigned opinion author and withdrawing joins of part of a majority opinion
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 35

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 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 36

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 37

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: William J. Brennan, Jr., Potter Stewart
On: June 16th, 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 38

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: June 16th, 1980
Action: Separate Opinion Author's Response
Circulation of Change to Separate Opinion (e.g., footnote, portion of opinion, adding paragraph); this occurs in a memo, not on a draft opinion; circulation of change to unlabeled opinion

Document 39

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 17th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 40

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 17th, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment in Part
This refers to an opinion that concurs in part with the judgment or result or that concurs in the judgment and concur in part

Document 41

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 17th, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment in Part
This refers to an opinion that concurs in part with the judgment or result or that concurs in the judgment and concur in part

Document 42

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 17th, 1980
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.
Action: Withdraw Join of Majority Opinion
This includes withdrawing joins of a per curiam opinion written by the assigned opinion author and withdrawing joins of part of a majority opinion

Document 43

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 18th, 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