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Western & Southern Life Insurance Co. V. State Board Of Equalization Of California (1980)

 

Document 1

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: January 15th, 1981
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 2

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 27th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 30th, 1981
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 30th, 1981
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 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 30th, 1981
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: 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 6

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 31st, 1981
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 7

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 1st, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 8

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 1st, 1981
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.
Action: Join Majority If...
Justice sends memo to majority opinion author that states that the conditions under which the justice can or will not join the majority opinion; this includes memos with language like will join if..., will join the majority opinion if author makes changes suggested by another justice, or will join part of majority opinion if...; these memos may also state that a justice cannot join majority opinion if..., or could not join an opinion with a particular point, will withdraw join if...
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 9

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 1st, 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 10

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 1st, 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 11

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 2nd, 1981
Action: Join Majority If...
Justice sends memo to majority opinion author that states that the conditions under which the justice can or will not join the majority opinion; this includes memos with language like will join if..., will join the majority opinion if author makes changes suggested by another justice, or will join part of majority opinion if...; these memos may also state that a justice cannot join majority opinion if..., or could not join an opinion with a particular point, will withdraw join if...
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 12

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 2nd, 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 13

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 3rd, 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 14

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 3rd, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 15

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 6th, 1981
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 16

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 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 17

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 11th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 18

From: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: May 12th, 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 19

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 14th, 1981
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 20

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: May 20th, 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.