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Zant V. Stephens (1981)

 

Document 1

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 26th, 1982
Action: Attached Material Relevant to a Case
This may include memos about maps or pictures that will be incorporated in opinion; cover memo to circulation of some relevant non-case material for an opinion (e.g., newspaper article, related lower court opinion); memos may mention extra-court material that might be relevant (e.g., congressional hearings, a statute, other opinions that are somehow (perhaps tangentially) related to case at hand); circulation of clerk’s memo about case

Document 2

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 2nd, 1982
Action: Per Curiam Opinion
This refers to a draft per curiam opinion

Document 3

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 2nd, 1982
Action: Cover Memo to Majority Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion
This includes a cover memo to memorandum opinion if written by the assigned author; cover memo to changes to majority opinion

Document 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 5th, 1982
Action: Per Curiam Opinion
This refers to a draft per curiam opinion

Document 5

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 5th, 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 6

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 5th, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 7

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: April 6th, 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 8

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 8th, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 9

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 9th, 1982
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 10

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 14th, 1982
Action: Per Curiam Opinion
This refers to a draft per curiam opinion

Document 11

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 15th, 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 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 15th, 1982
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 13

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 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.

Document 14

From: Byron R. White
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 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.

Document 15

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 16th, 1982
Action: Per Curiam Opinion
This refers to a draft per curiam opinion

Document 16

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 29th, 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 17

From: Warren E. Burger
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: April 29th, 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 18

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 5th, 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

Document 19

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 22nd, 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