Show / Hide Files

United States V. Bass (1971)

 

Document 1

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 3rd, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 2

From: William O. Douglas
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: December 3rd, 1971
Action: May Join Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice states the intent to join the majority opinion later (e.g., may join majority; will probably join majority; could join majority; agree tentatively; inclined to join; close to joining; agrees generally; agree with most of opinion; in basic agreement; intend to join; am prepared to join; expect to join; expect to join part of majority opinion; join unless someone else dissents; will join majority opinion if no majority exists; join unless someone else persuades me
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: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 6th, 1971
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: Byron R. White
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: December 6th, 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 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: December 6th, 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 6

From: William O. Douglas
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: December 6th, 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 7

From: William O. Douglas
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: None
On: December 6th, 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 8

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Thurgood Marshall
Copied: Conference
On: December 10th, 1971
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 9

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 15th, 1971
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: Harry A. Blackmun
Copied: Conference
On: December 16th, 1971
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 11

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: December 29th, 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