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Choctaw Nation V. Oklahoma (1969)

 

Document 1

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 10th, 1969
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
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 2

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 10th, 1969
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: William O. Douglas
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: None
On: December 11th, 1969
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.
Action: May Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will probably) write a "separate opinion"

Document 4

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 12th, 1969
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 5

From: Hugo. L. Black
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: December 15th, 1969
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
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 6

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 23rd, 1969
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 7

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 29th, 1969
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 8

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 31st, 1969
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 9

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 5th, 1970
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 10

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 9th, 1970
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 11

From: Potter Stewart
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: January 13th, 1970
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: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 22nd, 1970
Action: Case Should be Reargued
Includes statement that maybe case should be reargued

Document 13

From: Hugo. L. Black
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: None
On: March 25th, 1970
Action: Dissent at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a dissent (or a dissent in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion; it also includes at foot opinions that indicates the justice wants the Court to hear arguments and decide rather than dismiss or decide summarily

Document 14

From: Potter Stewart
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 1970
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 15

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 1970
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: William O. Douglas
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: None
On: March 25th, 1970
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 17

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 25th, 1970
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 10th, 1970
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 11th, 1970
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 20

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 16th, 1970
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 21

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 22nd, 1970
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: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 23rd, 1970
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 23

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 23rd, 1970
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft