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Poland V. Arizona (1985)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 27th, 1986
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: 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

Document 2

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall, Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: March 11th, 1986
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 3

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 24th, 1986
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: John Paul Stevens
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 1986
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: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 25th, 1986
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 H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1986
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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1986
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: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 26th, 1986
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: March 28th, 1986
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 10

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 28th, 1986
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 11

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 25th, 1986
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 12

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: April 28th, 1986
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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: April 29th, 1986
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: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 30th, 1986
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 30th, 1986
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 16

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 1st, 1986
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 17

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 1st, 1986
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 18

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 14th, 1986
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

Document 19

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 14th, 1986
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