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Monroe V. Standard Oil Co. (1980)

 

Document 1

From: Potter Stewart
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: March 6th, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr., Harry A. Blackmun, Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: March 9th, 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 3

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 25th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 1981
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 6

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 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 H. Rehnquist
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 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 8

From: Byron R. White
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 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: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1981
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 10

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1981
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 11

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 26th, 1981
Action: Cover Memo to Majority Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion
This includes a cover memo to memorandum opinion if written by the assigned author; cover memo to changes to majority opinion

Document 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 27th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 13

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: May 28th, 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 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: May 29th, 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 15

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: June 2nd, 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 16

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: June 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 17

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 4th, 1981
Action: Will Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a "separate opinion" draft, including that a "separate opinion" will be out soon or that a revised draft of the "separate opinion" will be circulated

Document 18

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 15th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: June 16th, 1981
Action: Disagrees with Opinion Author
Memo expresses a justice's disagreement with an opinion author's letter, proposal, or footnote
Action: Attached Material Relevant to a Case
This may include memos about maps or pictures that will be incorporated in opinion; cover memo to circulation of some relevant non-case material for an opinion (e.g., newspaper article, related lower court opinion); memos may mention extra-court material that might be relevant (e.g., congressional hearings, a statute, other opinions that are somehow (perhaps tangentially) related to case at hand); circulation of clerk’s memo about case

Document 20

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 16th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion Author's Response
May be a response to a suggestion, majority opinion, or another separate opinion; it may say the author made changes and see the attached opinion; it may indicate the opinion has been changed although not prompted by someone else

Document 21

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 16th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion Author's Response
May be a response to a suggestion, majority opinion, or another separate opinion; it may say the author made changes and see the attached opinion; it may indicate the opinion has been changed although not prompted by someone else