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Ralston V. Robinson (1981)

 

Document 1

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: September 30th, 1981
Action: Vote on a Motion (e.g., to vacate stay order, to deny an injunction)
Would deny stay; retain stay; suggest they not act on a motion or order; should vacate order; comment on when they should vote on the motion

Document 2

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 8th, 1981
Action: Propose Disposition in Case (Vote in a Case)
DIG (dismiss cert as improvidently granted); want to reach merits instead of DIG; would not DIG; affirm; reverse; remand; vacate; moot; court lacks jurisdiction; conference vote; withhold vote for now; defer vote; adhere to conference vote; initial vote in case; change conference vote; memo asking how others' vote on disposition

Document 3

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 29th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: October 30th, 1981
Action: Endorse Another Justice's Suggestion
Memos where a justice states agreement with another justice's suggestion to the majority opinion author (e.g., I am about where Justice X is, agree with Justice X's letter to you, I have no problem with Justice X's suggestion, agree with another justice's comment, is Justice X's suggestion ok with you). The identity of the justice whose suggestion is endorsed is located in the JOINED variable.
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 5

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: October 30th, 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: Join Majority If...
Justice sends memo to majority opinion author that states that the conditions under which the justice can or will not join the majority opinion; this includes memos with language like will join if..., will join the majority opinion if author makes changes suggested by another justice, or will join part of majority opinion if...; these memos may also state that a justice cannot join majority opinion if..., or could not join an opinion with a particular point, will withdraw join if...
Action: Will Write Separately If...
Justice states conditions for writing a separate opinion; memo may also state conditions for withdrawing a separate opinion

Document 6

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: October 30th, 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 7

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 4th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 8

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 4th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 9

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: November 5th, 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: Byron R. White
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: November 5th, 1981
Action: Join Part of Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins part of a majority opinion or where a justice joins all but part "X" of the majority opinion

Document 11

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 5th, 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 12

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: November 5th, 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: John Paul Stevens
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 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: November 6th, 1981
Action: Join Majority If...
Justice sends memo to majority opinion author that states that the conditions under which the justice can or will not join the majority opinion; this includes memos with language like will join if..., will join the majority opinion if author makes changes suggested by another justice, or will join part of majority opinion if...; these memos may also state that a justice cannot join majority opinion if..., or could not join an opinion with a particular point, will withdraw join if...

Document 15

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: November 9th, 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: Endorse Another Justice's Suggestion
Memos where a justice states agreement with another justice's suggestion to the majority opinion author (e.g., I am about where Justice X is, agree with Justice X's letter to you, I have no problem with Justice X's suggestion, agree with another justice's comment, is Justice X's suggestion ok with you). The identity of the justice whose suggestion is endorsed is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 16

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: None
On: November 11th, 1981
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 17

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 11th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 13th, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 19

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 13th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 20

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: November 16th, 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 21

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 19th, 1981
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 22

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 19th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 23

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 20th, 1981
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result