Show / Hide Files

United States V. Knotts (1982)

 

Case Details

Docket Number: 81-1802
Case Term: 1982

Justices Involved

Justice William H. Rehnquist
Justice Byron R. White
Justice John Paul Stevens
Justice Lewis F. Powell
Justice Sanda Day O'Connor
Justice Warren E. Burger
Justice William J. Brennan, Jr.
Justice Harry A. Blackmun
Justice Thurgood Marshall

Download PDF
Download Documents PDF

Document 1

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 11th, 1983
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Byron R. White
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 12th, 1983
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 3

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: January 13th, 1983
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 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 13th, 1983
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 5

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 13th, 1983
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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 14th, 1983
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 7

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 14th, 1983
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 8

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 17th, 1983
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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 17th, 1983
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: 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 Concurring Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a concurring opinion draft, including that a concurring opinion will be out soon or that a revised draft of the concurring opinion will be circulated; this may also apply to opinions that concur in part or concur in the judgment or result

Document 10

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: January 17th, 1983
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 11

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: None
On: January 18th, 1983
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 12

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 18th, 1983
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 13

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 18th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 14

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 18th, 1983
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 15

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 24th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 16

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: January 24th, 1983
Action: Cover Memo to Separate Opinion
This indicates a cover memo to any separate opinion, including concurring, dissenting, or any other type of separate opinion

Document 17

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 24th, 1983
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 18

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 25th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 19

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: January 25th, 1983
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 20

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: January 25th, 1983
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 21

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 4th, 1983
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 22

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 7th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 23

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: None
On: February 7th, 1983
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 24

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: February 9th, 1983
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 25

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: February 15th, 1983
Action: Agree with Opinion Author
Memo expresses justice's agreement with a majority opinion author's proposal, footnote, or proposed change; justice might state that he or she is open to the change

Document 26

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 15th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 27

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 17th, 1983
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 28

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: February 18th, 1983
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 29

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 28th, 1983
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 30

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 1st, 1983
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