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Maryland V. Louisiana (1980)

 

Document 1

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 30th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 31st, 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 3

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 31st, 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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: April 1st, 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: Byron R. White
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 6

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
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: Thurgood Marshall
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 4th, 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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 4th, 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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 19th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 10

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 21st, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 11

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 22nd, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 22nd, 1981
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 13

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 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.
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 8th, 1981
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 15

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: June 9th, 1981
Action: Cover Memo to Order
This indicates a cover memo to a draft order that does not dispose of the case on its merits and does not dismiss the case

Document 16

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 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: Potter Stewart
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 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 18

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 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 19

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 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 20

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 9th, 1981
Action: Decree
This refers to a draft decree

Document 21

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 10th, 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 22

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1981
Action: Decree
This refers to a draft decree