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Bearden V. Georgia (1982)

 

Document 1

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 28th, 1983
Action: Cover Memo to Memorandum Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion (not assigned author)
Cover Memo to Memorandum Opinion or Per Curiam Opinion (not assigned author)

Document 2

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 28th, 1983
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 3

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: None
On: May 2nd, 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 4

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 5

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 1983
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

Document 6

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 3rd, 1983
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 7

From: Byron R. White
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 9th, 1983
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 8

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 9th, 1983
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 9

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 11th, 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 10

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 11th, 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 11

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 11th, 1983
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 12

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 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 13

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 12th, 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 14

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 12th, 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 15

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 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 16

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 12th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 17

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 13th, 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 18

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 16th, 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 19

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 16th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 20

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 16th, 1983
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 21

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 17th, 1983
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 22

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 18th, 1983
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 23

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 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