Show / Hide Files

Reeves, Inc. V. Stake (1979)

 

Document 1

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 7th, 1980
Action: Memos about Cert Votes
A justice's cert vote (grant, deny, or note probable jurisdiction, join three); suggest they grant cert for specific issue; discussion of which questions cert grant should be limited to; adhere to cert vote; memo about cert petition (e.g., listing it on the conference list (special order list)); case should be relisted; make suggestions to proposed questions in case; any memo about listing or relisting a case

Document 2

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 25th, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White, Lewis F. Powell, John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: April 28th, 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 4

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 4th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 5

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 4th, 1980
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 6

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 4th, 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 7

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 4th, 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 8

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 4th, 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 9

From: Potter Stewart
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 4th, 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 10

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 9th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 11

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 11th, 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 12

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1980
Action: Suggestion to Separate Opinion
Memo states includes a justice's suggestion for a separate opinion (e.g., don't agree with reasoning of separate opinion; comment on separate opinion; will join separate opinion if; cannot join separate opinion; will be making suggestion to separate opinion). The identity of the separate opinion author who receives suggestion is located in the JOINED variable.
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 13

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 15

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 12th, 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 16

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 12th, 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 17

From: Byron R. White
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 12th, 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 18

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 12th, 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 19

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1980
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 20

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1980
Action: Announcements of Opinion
This 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

Document 21

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft