Show / Hide Files

Kremer V. Chemical Construction Corp. (1981)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall, Harry A. Blackmun, John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: December 15th, 1981
Action: Dissent Opinion Assignment
The memo may ask another justice to write a dissent; a justice may indicate that the dissent will not be assigned right now; memo responding to a dissent assignment (but not accepting assignment, which would be Code 204)

Document 2

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall, Harry A. Blackmun, John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: December 15th, 1981
Action: Dissent Opinion Assignment
The memo may ask another justice to write a dissent; a justice may indicate that the dissent will not be assigned right now; memo responding to a dissent assignment (but not accepting assignment, which would be Code 204)

Document 3

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: December 15th, 1981
Action: Majority Opinion Assignment
This may be an assignment of either the majority opinion or a memorandum opinion; memo may state that a justice has agreed to undertake the opinion of the Court; memo reassigns the case

Document 4

From: Byron R. White
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 16th, 1981
Action: Memo About Opinion Assignment
This excludes memos that assign the opinion (see Code 606), but includes memos where a justice expresses the view that a case should be reassigned or a response to a majority opinion assignment; justice may request that majority opinion not be assigned to that justice; a justice may question why the opinion was not assigned; a justice (perhaps the Chief Justice) may tell a justice to assign the opinion; a memo may discuss not assigning the opinion to any justice

Document 5

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 16th, 1982
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: February 16th, 1982
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: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: February 16th, 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.
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 8

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: February 17th, 1982
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 9

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: February 18th, 1982
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 10

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: February 18th, 1982
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 11

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: None
On: March 12th, 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: 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 12

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 23rd, 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: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 23rd, 1982
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 14

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 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 15

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 30th, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 16

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: March 31st, 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 17

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: April 1st, 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 18

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 1st, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: April 13th, 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 20

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 13th, 1982
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 21

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 14th, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 22

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 15th, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 23

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 12th, 1982
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 24

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 17th, 1982
Action: Proposes Disposition of Held Cases
Memo lists cases held for an opinion and gives cert votes or votes on the merits for the held cases; justice may state that held cases should be discussed at conference