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Williams V. United States (1970)

 

Document 1

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 17th, 1970
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Potter Stewart
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: December 30th, 1970
Action: Concur at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a concurrence (or a concurrence in part) be noted at the foot of an opinion

Document 3

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 6th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 11th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 5

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 25th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 6

From: John M. Harlan
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 27th, 1971
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 7

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 2nd, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 8

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 5th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 9

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 5th, 1971
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 10

From: John M. Harlan
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 5th, 1971
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 11

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: None
On: February 10th, 1971
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 12

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: February 10th, 1971
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 O. Douglas
To: John M. Harlan
Copied: None
On: February 23rd, 1971
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
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 14

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 23rd, 1971
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 15

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 27th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 16

From: John M. Harlan
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 31st, 1971
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 17

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 31st, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 18

From: John M. Harlan
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 1st, 1971
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: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 7th, 1971
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