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Donnelly V. Dechristoforo (1973)

 

Document 1

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 11th, 1973
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 2

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: None
On: October 12th, 1973
Action: Join Majority If...
Justice sends memo to majority opinion author that states that the conditions under which the justice can or will not join the majority opinion; this includes memos with language like will join if..., will join the majority opinion if author makes changes suggested by another justice, or will join part of majority opinion if...; these memos may also state that a justice cannot join majority opinion if..., or could not join an opinion with a particular point, will withdraw join if...

Document 3

From: Lewis F. Powell
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: October 12th, 1973
Action: May Join Memorandum Opinion (Author is Assigned Justice)
Memo stating that the justice agrees, but does not join, the memorandum opinion drafted by the assigned opinion author (e.g., could go along with memorandum opinion; agrees generally with memorandum opinion; agree tentatively with memorandum opinion; will join memorandum opinion if it becomes majority opinion)

Document 4

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 12th, 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)

Document 5

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 15th, 1973
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 6

From: Potter Stewart
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: October 16th, 1973
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: 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 H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 16th, 1973
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 8

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: October 16th, 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 9

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: October 17th, 1973
Action: Memorandum Opinion
This refers to a memorandum opinion draft

Document 10

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: October 18th, 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 11

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: February 25th, 1974
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

Document 12

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: March 15th, 1974
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

Document 13

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 22nd, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 14

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 24th, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 15

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 25th, 1974
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 16

From: Harry A. Blackmun
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: April 25th, 1974
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 H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: April 26th, 1974
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: William J. Brennan, Jr.
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: None
On: April 26th, 1974
Action: Suggestion to Separate Opinion
Memo states includes a justice's suggestion for a separate opinion (e.g., don't agree with reasoning of separate opinion; comment on separate opinion; will join separate opinion if; cannot join separate opinion; will be making suggestion to separate opinion). The identity of the separate opinion author who receives suggestion is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 19

From: William O. Douglas
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 29th, 1974
Action: Dissenting Opinion
This refers to a dissenting opinion draft, including dissents from denial of certiorari if in opinion form

Document 20

From: Warren E. Burger
To: William H. Rehnquist
Copied: Conference
On: April 29th, 1974
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 21

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: April 29th, 1974
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 22

From: Byron R. White
To: Potter Stewart
Copied: Conference
On: May 4th, 1974
Action: Join Concurrence
Memos where a justice states that they join a concurring opinion, including joining a concurrence in part, joining a concurrence in judgment or result, or joining a concurrence at foot. The identity of the concurring opinion author who receives the join is located in the JOINED variable.

Document 23

From: Potter Stewart
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 6th, 1974
Action: Concurring Opinion
This refers to a concurring opinion draft

Document 24

From: Thurgood Marshall
To: William O. Douglas
Copied: Conference
On: May 7th, 1974
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 25

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 10th, 1974
Action: Majority Opinion
This refers to a majority opinion draft

Document 26

From: William H. Rehnquist
To: Conference
Copied: None
On: May 29th, 1974
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