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Firefighters V. Boston Chapter, Naacp (1982)

 

Document 1

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: November 3rd, 1982
Action: Not Participating
These memos inform the Court whether a justice is "out" for a case; the memo may ask the opinion author to note the justice took no part in consideration of a case; memos may inform the Court that a justice is participating (e.g., not out; not recuse); memos may concern whether a justice should recuse himself or herself (e.g., may recuse self; have not decided whether to participate; do not think I should recuse); memos written by other justices about a colleague's recusal

Document 2

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: April 21st, 1983
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: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: April 21st, 1983
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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: April 21st, 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 5

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: April 27th, 1983
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 6

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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 7

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 2nd, 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 8

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 2nd, 1983
Action: Per Curiam Opinion
This refers to a draft per curiam opinion

Document 10

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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: John Paul Stevens
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 2nd, 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 12

From: Byron R. White
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 3rd, 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 3rd, 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 14

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: May 4th, 1983
Action: Will Not Write Dissent
A memo where a justice states that he or she will not write a dissenting opinion or an opinion that dissents in part

Document 15

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 23rd, 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

Document 16

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 24th, 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

Document 17

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

Document 18

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 27th, 1983
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 28th, 1983
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form