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Ridgway V. Ridgway (1981)

 

Document 1

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: William H. Rehnquist
On: October 14th, 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 2

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: William H. Rehnquist
On: October 15th, 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 3

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 23rd, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Byron R. White
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: October 24th, 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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: October 26th, 1981
Action: May Write Dissenting Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will likely) write a dissenting opinion (e.g., considering a dissent, expects to write dissent, will probably write dissent, may write dissent in part, inclined to dissent, shall likely be in dissent, may not write dissent, and hope not to write dissent)

Document 6

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: October 26th, 1981
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 7

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: October 26th, 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
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 8

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: October 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: Thurgood Marshall
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: October 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 10

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: October 27th, 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: October 30th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 12

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: November 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 13

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 3rd, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 3rd, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 15

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 5th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 16

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 6th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 17

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 6th, 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 18

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

Document 19

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 9th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 20

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 9th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft