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School District Of Grand Rapids V. Ball (1984)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Warren E. Burger
Copied: Conference
On: December 10th, 1984
Action: Majority Opinion Assignment
This may be an assignment of either the majority opinion or a memorandum opinion; memo may state that a justice has agreed to undertake the opinion of the Court; memo reassigns the case

Document 2

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 2nd, 1985
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 3

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 2nd, 1985
Action: Will Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she will circulate a "separate opinion" draft, including that a "separate opinion" will be out soon or that a revised draft of the "separate opinion" will be circulated

Document 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 2nd, 1985
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: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 2nd, 1985
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 6

From: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: April 8th, 1985
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 7

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: May 9th, 1985
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: May 13th, 1985
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: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 15th, 1985
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 10

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall, Harry A. Blackmun, Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: May 15th, 1985
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 11

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Harry A. Blackmun, Lewis F. Powell, John Paul Stevens
On: May 15th, 1985
Action: Change is Acceptable
Memo indicating that a change to majority opinion is acceptable to a justice (e.g., suggested change is ok with me; like changes in majority opinion).

Document 12

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Thurgood Marshall, Lewis F. Powell, John Paul Stevens
On: May 15th, 1985
Action: Change is Acceptable
Memo indicating that a change to majority opinion is acceptable to a justice (e.g., suggested change is ok with me; like changes in majority opinion).

Document 13

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall, Harry A. Blackmun, Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: May 16th, 1985
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 14

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Thurgood Marshall, Lewis F. Powell, John Paul Stevens
On: May 16th, 1985
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: Change is Acceptable
Memo indicating that a change to majority opinion is acceptable to a justice (e.g., suggested change is ok with me; like changes in majority opinion).

Document 15

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Thurgood Marshall, Harry A. Blackmun, John Paul Stevens
On: May 16th, 1985
Action: Change is Acceptable
Memo indicating that a change to majority opinion is acceptable to a justice (e.g., suggested change is ok with me; like changes in majority opinion).
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 16

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 20th, 1985
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 17

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 30th, 1985
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 18

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1985
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 19

From: Sanda Day O'Connor
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 18th, 1985
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 20

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 19th, 1985
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 21

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 24th, 1985
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket

Document 22

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: June 24th, 1985
Action: Cover Memo to Separate Opinion
This indicates a cover memo to any separate opinion, including concurring, dissenting, or any other type of separate opinion

Document 23

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 25th, 1985
Action: Concur in Part and Dissent in Part
This refers to an opinion draft that concurs in part and dissents in part, including opinions that concur in judgment and dissent (or dissent in part), concur in judgment in part and dissent (or dissent in part), or dissent in one docket and concurs in another docket