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Johnson V. Louisiana (1971)

 

Document 1

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: January 17th, 1972
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: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 30th, 1972
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 3

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: March 31st, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 4

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: April 3rd, 1972
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: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 3rd, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 6

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 6th, 1972
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 7

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: April 6th, 1972
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: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 7th, 1972
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 9

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 11th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 10

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: April 12th, 1972
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 11

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 14th, 1972
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: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: April 14th, 1972
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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: April 14th, 1972
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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 17th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 15

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 17th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 16

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 18th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 17

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 21st, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 18

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 28th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 19

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: May 11th, 1972
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 20

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 12th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 21

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 17th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 22

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 19th, 1972
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 23

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 19th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 24

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 19th, 1972
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 25

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 25th, 1972
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 26

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: June 1st, 1972
Action: Will Not Write Dissent
A memo where a justice states that he or she will not write a dissenting opinion or an opinion that dissents in part
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.