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Rhodes V. Chapman (1980)

 

Document 1

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 21st, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Potter Stewart
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 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 3

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 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 4

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 23rd, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 5

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 23rd, 1981
Action: Await Concurrence
Justice awaits a concurring opinion, including an opinion that concurs in part or that concurs in judgment

Document 6

From: Byron R. White
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 23rd, 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: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 23rd, 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 8

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: April 24th, 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 9

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 27th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 10

From: Potter Stewart
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: April 28th, 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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 4th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 13th, 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 13

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: None
On: May 14th, 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: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 15th, 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: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: May 15th, 1981
Action: Change is Acceptable
Memo indicating that a change to majority opinion is acceptable to a justice (e.g., suggested change is ok with me; like changes in majority opinion).

Document 16

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 18th, 1981
Action: Await Concurrence
Justice awaits a concurring opinion, including an opinion that concurs in part or that concurs in judgment

Document 17

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 18th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 26th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 19

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 1st, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 20

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: June 1st, 1981
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 21

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 2nd, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 22

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 3rd, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 23

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 3rd, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 24

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: June 3rd, 1981
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 25

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 4th, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 26

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 9th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 27

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 12th, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result