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Weinberger V. Hynson, Westcott & Dunning, Inc. (1972)

 

Document 1

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 10th, 1973
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

Document 2

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 8th, 1973
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 3

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 10th, 1973
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 4

From: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: May 10th, 1973
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

Document 5

From: Potter Stewart
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: May 11th, 1973
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

Document 6

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: May 16th, 1973
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 7

From: Warren E. Burger
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: May 22nd, 1973
Action: Memo Regarding Meeting Time, Place or Agenda
Memo may suggest that the justice talk or discuss an issue at conference; memo may maintain that no further conference discussion is needed; memo may state that a justice will be away

Document 8

From: Byron R. White
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: May 22nd, 1973
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)
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 9

From: Byron R. White
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 25th, 1973
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 10

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Byron R. White
Copied: Conference
On: May 29th, 1973
Action: May Join Memorandum Opinion (Author is not Assigned Justice)
Memo stating that the justice agrees, but does not join, the memorandum opinion (or per curiam opinion) written by a justice who was not assigned the opinion (e.g., agree and will join if it becomes opinion; agree with suggested order). The identity of the justice whose opinion is endorsed is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 11

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 30th, 1973
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 12

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: May 30th, 1973
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: Undecided
Justice states that he or she is undecided, including phrases like not ready to commit, need more time, not at rest, or to consider further

Document 13

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 5th, 1973
Action: Join Part of Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins part of a majority opinion or where a justice joins all but part "X" of the majority opinion
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
Action: May Write "Separate Opinion"
A memo where a justice states that he or she may (or will probably) write a "separate opinion"

Document 14

From: Byron R. White
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 5th, 1973
Action: Join Part of Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins part of a majority opinion or where a justice joins all but part "X" of the majority opinion
Action: Withdraw Other "Separate Opinion"
Withdraw Other "Separate Opinion"
Action: Await Dissent
Justice indicates that he or she awaits a dissenting opinion, including opinions that dissent in part

Document 15

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 6th, 1973
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 16

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 6th, 1973
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 17

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 6th, 1973
Action: Join Part of Majority Opinion
Memos where a justice joins part of a majority opinion or where a justice joins all but part "X" of the majority opinion

Document 18

From: William O. Douglas
To: Lewis F. Powell
Copied: None
On: June 7th, 1973
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 19

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 11th, 1973
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 20

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: None
On: June 11th, 1973
Action: Concur in Judgment in Part
This refers to an opinion that concurs in part with the judgment or result or that concurs in the judgment and concur in part

Document 21

From: Byron R. White
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 12th, 1973
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 22

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 12th, 1973
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 23

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1973
Action: Concur in Judgment in Part
This refers to an opinion that concurs in part with the judgment or result or that concurs in the judgment and concur in part

Document 24

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 13th, 1973
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 25

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: June 15th, 1973
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 26

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: June 15th, 1973
Action: Concur in Judgment in Part
This refers to an opinion that concurs in part with the judgment or result or that concurs in the judgment and concur in part