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Minnesota State Board For Community Colleges V. Knight (1983)

 

Document 1

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: None
On: None provided.
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 2

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Lewis F. Powell
On: November 14th, 1983
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 3

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: December 14th, 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: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: None
On: December 16th, 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 5

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: None
On: December 16th, 1983
Action: Suggestion before Majority Opinion Circulated
Justice makes a suggestion or lays out position in the case before the majority opinion is circulated; discussion of issues before an opinion has been drafted; memo laying out other justice's position or describing how other justices’ have voted so far in the case; lays out position without directing it at a circulating opinion
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: December 19th, 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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: December 19th, 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: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 19th, 1983
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 9

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: December 20th, 1983
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 10

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: December 20th, 1983
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 11

From: Byron R. White
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: December 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 12

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: December 21st, 1983
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 13

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 26th, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 14

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 28th, 1984
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 15

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Sanda Day O'Connor
Copied: Conference
On: January 31st, 1984
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: Lewis F. Powell
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: January 31st, 1984
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.
Action: Suggestion to Separate Opinion
Memo states includes a justice's suggestion for a separate opinion (e.g., don't agree with reasoning of separate opinion; comment on separate opinion; will join separate opinion if; cannot join separate opinion; will be making suggestion to separate opinion). The identity of the separate opinion author who receives suggestion is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 17

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 1st, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 18

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 6th, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 9th, 1984
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result

Document 20

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 10th, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 21

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: John Paul Stevens
Copied: Conference
On: February 13th, 1984
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 22

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 13th, 1984
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 23

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 16th, 1984
Action: Concur in Judgment
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in the judgment or result