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Blount V. Rizzi (1970)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 21st, 1970
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: December 22nd, 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.
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 3

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: December 23rd, 1970
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 4

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 28th, 1970
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: None
On: December 28th, 1970
Action: Agree with Opinion Author
Memo expresses justice's agreement with a majority opinion author's proposal, footnote, or proposed change; justice might state that he or she is open to the change

Document 6

From: Hugo. L. Black
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: None
On: December 29th, 1970
Action: Concur in Judgment at Foot
This refers to a letter where a justice asks that a concurrence in judgment or the result be noted at the foot of an opinion, including a concur in judgment or result in part at foot

Document 7

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: December 30th, 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 8

From: Byron R. White
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 4th, 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 9

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

Document 10

From: John M. Harlan
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 5th, 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 11

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 7th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 7th, 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: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William J. Brennan, Jr.
Copied: Conference
On: January 11th, 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.
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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: January 12th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft