Show / Hide Files

United States V. Yermian (1983)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: John Paul Stevens, Sanda Day O'Connor
On: April 2nd, 1984
Action: Dissent Opinion Assignment
The memo may ask another justice to write a dissent; a justice may indicate that the dissent will not be assigned right now; memo responding to a dissent assignment (but not accepting assignment, which would be Code 204)

Document 2

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: John Paul Stevens, Sanda Day O'Connor
On: April 2nd, 1984
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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 18th, 1984
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 1984
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 5

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 1984
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 6

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 1984
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 7

From: Byron R. White
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 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 8

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 21st, 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 9

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 22nd, 1984
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 10

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: May 22nd, 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 11

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 12

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: June 14th, 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 13

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

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: June 15th, 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 15

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 15th, 1984
Action: Will Circulate Majority Opinion
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a majority opinion draft, including that an opinion will be out soon or that the author will revise majority opinion without stating the changes

Document 16

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 16th, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 17

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 18th, 1984
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 18th, 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 19

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 22nd, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 20

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 22nd, 1984
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 21

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 25th, 1984
Action: Announcements of Opinion
This includes memos about the timing of a decision announcement (e.g., can we hold this case for a week; opinion should be handed down tomorrow; opinion not ready for case to come down; take as much time as you need); memos about the pace of opinion writing (e.g., a justice’s delay in a case or apologizing for a delay or holding up another justice); memo requesting that a justice make an announcement regarding an opinion

Document 22

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: None
On: June 25th, 1984
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 23

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: Conference
On: June 25th, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion Author's Response
May be a response to a suggestion, majority opinion, or another separate opinion; it may say the author made changes and see the attached opinion; it may indicate the opinion has been changed although not prompted by someone else
Action: Announcements of Opinion
This includes memos about the timing of a decision announcement (e.g., can we hold this case for a week; opinion should be handed down tomorrow; opinion not ready for case to come down; take as much time as you need); memos about the pace of opinion writing (e.g., a justice’s delay in a case or apologizing for a delay or holding up another justice); memo requesting that a justice make an announcement regarding an opinion

Document 24

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 26th, 1984
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 25

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 26th, 1984
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft