Show / Hide Files

Florida Department Of State V. Treasure Salvors, Inc. (1981)

 

Document 1

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 24th, 1982
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 2

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 1982
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 3

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 1982
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 "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 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1982
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 5

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1982
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 6

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: None
On: March 29th, 1982
Action: May Join Dissent
Memos where a justice expresses the inclination to join a dissenting opinion, including joining the dissent in part; memos may also state a justice’s intention to join a dissent if another justice writes or circulates one; memos may also state that a justice expects to join or tentatively joins a dissent
Action: Will Dissent If...
Justice states conditions for a dissent, including a dissent in part; memo may also state conditions for withdrawing a dissenting opinion

Document 7

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 30th, 1982
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 8

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: March 30th, 1982
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 9

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: March 30th, 1982
Action: Will Write Memorandum Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a memorandum opinion draft, including that a memorandum opinion will be out soon or that a revised draft of the memorandum opinion will be circulated

Document 10

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: March 31st, 1982
Action: May Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice states the intent to join the majority opinion later (e.g., may join majority; will probably join majority; could join majority; agree tentatively; inclined to join; close to joining; agrees generally; agree with most of opinion; in basic agreement; intend to join; am prepared to join; expect to join; expect to join part of majority opinion; join unless someone else dissents; will join majority opinion if no majority exists; join unless someone else persuades me
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 11

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 5th, 1982
Action: May Join Memorandum Opinion (Author is Assigned Justice)
Memo stating that the justice agrees, but does not join, the memorandum opinion drafted by the assigned opinion author (e.g., could go along with memorandum opinion; agrees generally with memorandum opinion; agree tentatively with memorandum opinion; will join memorandum opinion if it becomes majority opinion)

Document 12

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 12th, 1982
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 13

From: Warren E. Burger
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 26th, 1982
Action: May Join Memorandum Opinion (Author is Assigned Justice)
Memo stating that the justice agrees, but does not join, the memorandum opinion drafted by the assigned opinion author (e.g., could go along with memorandum opinion; agrees generally with memorandum opinion; agree tentatively with memorandum opinion; will join memorandum opinion if it becomes majority opinion)

Document 14

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 26th, 1982
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 15

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 26th, 1982
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 16

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 27th, 1982
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 17

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 28th, 1982
Action: Join Memorandum Opinion (written by non-assigned author)
Memos where a justice states that he or she joins a memorandum opinion that is written by a non-assigned author.

Document 18

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: May 31st, 1982
Action: May Join Memorandum Opinion (Author is Assigned Justice)
Memo stating that the justice agrees, but does not join, the memorandum opinion drafted by the assigned opinion author (e.g., could go along with memorandum opinion; agrees generally with memorandum opinion; agree tentatively with memorandum opinion; will join memorandum opinion if it becomes majority opinion)

Document 19

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 3rd, 1982
Action: Join Memorandum Opinion (written by non-assigned author)
Memos where a justice states that he or she joins a memorandum opinion that is written by a non-assigned author.

Document 20

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 8th, 1982
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 21

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: June 9th, 1982
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: Warren E. Burger
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: June 10th, 1982
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 23

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 17th, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 24

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 18th, 1982
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 25

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 21st, 1982
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 26

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 21st, 1982
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 27

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 21st, 1982
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 28

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 21st, 1982
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 29

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 23rd, 1982
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 30

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: None
On: June 24th, 1982
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 31

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 24th, 1982
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 32

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 24th, 1982
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 33

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 24th, 1982
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 34

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: None
On: June 25th, 1982
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: 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 35

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: June 25th, 1982
Action: Separate Opinion Author's Response
Circulation of Change to Separate Opinion (e.g., footnote, portion of opinion, adding paragraph); this occurs in a memo, not on a draft opinion; circulation of change to unlabeled opinion