UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                    Eastern District of Virginia
                  Alexandria, Virginia   22314-5799

                           March 10, 1997

Appellate Court and
Circuit Administration Division
ATTN: ABA Citation Resolution
Suite 4-512
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Washington, DC 20544

Dear Ms. Countryman:

     My initial response to the questionnaire concerning the ABA 
Resolution on Citations was simply to answer "no" to each of the 
questions posed and further to note that "[T]hese proposals are 
unnecessary, fail any cost/benefit analysis and are likely 
unenforceable. The ABA should stay out of interfering with judge's 
work."

     To that, I wish to add that I support the views expressed by 
Judge Brinkema in her thoughtful letter of March 5, 1997. As a matter 
of principle, neither the ABA nor any other external organization has 
any business setting standards for judicial opinions, however 
innocuous the proposed standards may appear.

                                   Sincerely

                                   T.S. Ellis, III
                                   United States District Judge