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Complete Auto Transit, Inc. V. Reis (1980)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 2nd, 1981
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 2

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 9th, 1981
Action: Cover Memo to Separate Opinion
This indicates a cover memo to any separate opinion, including concurring, dissenting, or any other type of separate opinion

Document 3

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 9th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 4

From: Potter Stewart
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 5

From: Byron R. White
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 6

From: Thurgood Marshall
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 7

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 9th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 8

From: John Paul Stevens
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 9

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 10th, 1981
Action: Thank You Notes
Justices circulate memos thanking another justice for making a change to an opinion or thanking an author for considering a justice's suggestions
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 11th, 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: May Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will probably) write a "separate opinion"

Document 11

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: April 13th, 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 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 13th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 13

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: April 13th, 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 14

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 16th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 21st, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 16

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 23rd, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 17

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

Document 18

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 30th, 1981
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 19

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 1st, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 20

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 12th, 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