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Chandler V. Florida (1980)

 

Document 1

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: November 12th, 1980
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 2

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 19th, 1980
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: Potter Stewart
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 19th, 1980
Action: May Write Concurring Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will likely) write a concurring opinion; this also applies to opinions that concur in part, concurrences in judgment, or concurrences at foot.

Document 4

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 22nd, 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 5

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 22nd, 1980
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 6

From: Byron R. White
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 22nd, 1980
Action: Await Concurrence
Justice awaits a concurring opinion, including an opinion that concurs in part or that concurs in judgment

Document 7

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 29th, 1980
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
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 8

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 30th, 1980
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 9

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 30th, 1980
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
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 10

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 30th, 1980
Action: Endorse Another Justice's Suggestion
Memos where a justice states agreement with another justice's suggestion to the majority opinion author (e.g., I am about where Justice X is, agree with Justice X's letter to you, I have no problem with Justice X's suggestion, agree with another justice's comment, is Justice X's suggestion ok with you). The identity of the justice whose suggestion is endorsed is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 11

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 7th, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 8th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 13

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 9th, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 14

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: January 9th, 1981
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: Warren E. Burger
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: January 12th, 1981
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 16

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 13th, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 17

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: January 13th, 1981
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 18

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 13th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 19

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 14th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 20

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 19th, 1981
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: January 19th, 1981
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 22

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: January 22nd, 1981
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 23

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 22nd, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 24

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 28th, 1981
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