The Supreme Court Database

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Examples include the identity of the court whose decision the Supreme Court reviewed, the parties to the suit, the legal provisions considered in the case, and the votes of the Justices." /> <meta name="keywords" content="supreme court, spaeth, database" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <style type="text/css" media="screen,print">@import "includes/globalStyle.css";</style> <style type="text/css" media="screen,print">@import "fwCore/styleDebug.css";</style> <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="includes/globalJs.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="fwCore/jsDebug.js"></script>  <script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.8.2/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="includes/bxSlider/jquery.bxslider.min.js"></script> <link href="includes/bxSlider/jquery.bxslider.css" rel="stylesheet" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="images/favicon.ico"> </head> <body> <a name="top"></a> <table width="980" align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style=""> <tr> <td width="75%" style="height:90px; 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border-bottom:1px solid #fff; "><img src="images/trans.gif" alt="image" width="1" height="7" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="5" align="left" valign="top" style="background: #EEE; color:#360; padding-top:7px; border-right:1px solid #ccc; border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc;" > <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-left:15px;"> <tr> <td class="subTopNavBoxOn" style="color:#360; "><a href="documentation.php?s=1" style="color:#360;">Online Code Book</a></td> <td class="subTopNavBoxOff" style="color:#360; "><a href="documentation.php?s=2" style="color:#360;">Downloadable Code Book</a></td> <td class="subTopNavBoxOff" style="color:#360; "><a href="documentation.php?s=3" style="color:#360;">Code Repository</a></td> <td class="subTopNavBoxOff" style="color:#360; "><a href="documentation101.php" style="color:#360;">SCDB Web 101</a></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="5" valign="top" style="padding:35px;" > <div class="header" style="color:#360;">Online Code Book</div> <br /> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" > <tr> <td width="75%" valign="top" style="padding-right:25px; "> <div style="padding-left:0px; padding-top:5px; padding-bottom:10px; font-size:150%;">Disposition of Case</div> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-top:1px solid #ccc;border-bottom:1px solid #ccc; background-color:#eee;"> <tr> <td width="33%" style="line-height:15px; text-align:center; padding:10px;"><strong>Variable Name</strong><br />caseDisposition</td> <td width="34%" style="line-height:15px; text-align:center; padding:10px;"><strong>Spaeth Name</strong><br />DIS</td> <td width="33%" style="line-height:15px; text-align:center; padding:10px;"><strong>Normalizations</strong><br /> <a href='#norms'>11 [ view ]</a></td> </tr> </table> <br /> The treatment the Supreme Court accorded the court whose decision it reviewed is contained in this variable; e.g., affirmed, vacated, reversed and remanded, etc. The values here are the same as those for lcDisposition (how the court whose decision the Supreme Court reviewed disposed of the case). For original jurisdiction cases, this variable will be empty unless the Court's disposition falls under 1 or 9 below (stay, petition, or motion granted; petition denied or appeal dismissed). For cases in which the Court granted a motion to dismiss, caseDisposition is coded as 9 (petition denied or appeal dismissed). There is "no disposition" if the Court denied a motion to dismiss. <br /> <br />The information relevant to this variable may be found near the end of the summary that begins on the title page of each case, or preferably at the very end of the opinion of the Court. <br /> <br />As in the lcDisposition variable, the value label pertaining to the specific language used by the Court is entered. If incongruence between the Court's language and the above codes occurs, consult variable caseDispositionUnusual. <br /> <br />In cases containing multiple docket numbers, not every docket number will necessarily receive the same disposition. Hence, in focusing on the outcome of the Court's decisions, users might want to consider the datasets in which cases are organized by docket rather than citation. <br /> <br />Note for users of the Justice Centered Database: The entry in this variable governs whether the individual justices voted with the majority or in dissent. <br /> <a name="norms"> </a><br /> <strong>Values:</strong><br /> <table width="100%"> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 1 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> stay, petition, or motion granted </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 2 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> affirmed (includes modified) </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 3 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> reversed </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 4 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> reversed and remanded </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 5 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> vacated and remanded </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 6 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> affirmed and reversed (or vacated) in part </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 7 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> affirmed and reversed (or vacated) in part and remanded </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 8 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> vacated </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 9 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> petition denied or appeal dismissed </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 10 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> certification to or from a lower court </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="5%" style="padding-right:20px; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; height:20px; background:#fff;"> 11 </td> <td width="95%" style="background:#fff; line-height:17px;"> no disposition </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="25%" valign="top" align="left" style="line-height:17px; padding-left:20px; border-left:1px solid #ccc;"> <div class="toc" onClick="toggleBlock('Introductory')">Introductory</div> <ul class="toc"> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=intro" class="toc">Introduction</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=cite" class="toc">Citing to the SCDB</a></li> </ul> <div class="toc" onClick="toggleBlock('Identification Variables')">Identification Variables</div> <ul class="toc"> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseId" class="toc">SCDB Case ID</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=docketId" class="toc">SCDB Docket ID</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseIssuesId" class="toc">SCDB Issues ID</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=voteId" class="toc">SCDB Vote ID</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=usCite" class="toc">U.S. Reporter Citation</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=sctCite" class="toc">Supreme Court Citation</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=ledCite" class="toc">Lawyers Edition Citation</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=lexisCite" class="toc">LEXIS Citation</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=docket" class="toc">Docket Number</a></li> </ul> <div class="toc" onClick="toggleBlock('Background Variables')">Background Variables</div> <ul class="toc"> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseName" class="toc">Case Name</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=petitioner" class="toc">Petitioner</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=petitionerState" class="toc">Petitioner State</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=respondent" class="toc">Respondent</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=respondentState" class="toc">Respondent State</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=jurisdiction" class="toc">Manner in which the Court takes Jurisdiction</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=adminAction" class="toc">Administrative Action Preceeding Litigation</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=adminActionState" class="toc">Administrative Action Preceeding Litigation State</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=threeJudgeFdc" class="toc">Three-Judge District Court</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseOrigin" class="toc">Origin of Case</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseOriginState" class="toc">Origin of Case State</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseSource" class="toc">Source of Case</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseSourceState" class="toc">Source of Case State</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=lcDisagreement" class="toc">Lower Court Disagreement</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=certReason" class="toc">Reason for Granting Cert</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=lcDisposition" class="toc">Lower Court Disposition</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=lcDispositionDirection" class="toc">Lower Court Disposition Direction</a></li> </ul> <div class="toc" onClick="toggleBlock('Chronological Variables')">Chronological Variables</div> <ul class="toc"> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=dateDecision" class="toc">Date of Decision</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=term" class="toc">Term of Court</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=naturalCourt" class="toc">Natural Court</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=chief" class="toc">Chief Justice</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=dateArgument" class="toc">Date of Oral Argument</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=dateRearg" class="toc">Date of Reargument</a></li> </ul> <div class="toc" onClick="toggleBlock('Substantive Variables')">Substantive Variables</div> <ul class="toc"> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=issue" class="toc">Issue</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=issueArea" class="toc">Issue Area</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=decisionDirection" class="toc">Decision Direction</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=decisionDirectionDissent" class="toc">Decision Direction Dissent</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=authorityDecision1" class="toc">Authority for Decision 1</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=authorityDecision2" class="toc">Authority for Decision 2</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=lawType" class="toc">Legal Provisions Considered by the Court</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=lawSupp" class="toc">Legal Provision Supplement</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=lawMinor" class="toc">Legal Provision Minor Supplement</a></li> </ul> <div class="toc" onClick="toggleBlock('Outcome Variables')">Outcome Variables</div> <ul class="toc"> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=decisionType" class="toc">Decision Type</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=declarationUncon" class="toc">Declaration of Unconstitutionality</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseDisposition" class="tocOn">Disposition of Case</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=caseDispositionUnusual" class="toc">Unusual Disposition</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=partyWinning" class="toc">Winning Party</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=precedentAlteration" class="toc">Formal Alteration of Precedent</a></li> </ul> <div class="toc" onClick="toggleBlock('Voting & Opinion Variables')">Voting & Opinion Variables</div> <ul class="toc"> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=voteUnclear" class="toc">Vote Not Clearly Specified</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=majOpinWriter" class="toc">Majority Opinion Writer</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=majOpinAssigner" class="toc">Majority Opinion Assigner</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=splitVote" class="toc">Split Vote</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=majVotes" class="toc">Majority Votes</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=minVotes" class="toc">Minority Votes</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=justice" class="toc">Justice ID</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=justiceName" class="toc">Justice Name</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=vote" class="toc">The Vote in the Case</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=opinion" class="toc">Opinion</a></li> <li class="toc"><a href="documentation.php?var=direction" class="toc">Direction of the Individual Justice's Votes</a></li> 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