[mwl1]

It isn't as though the Chief Justice gets an extra vote or anything...what IS the big deal about being Chief Justice anyway?

The big deal is that the chief justice assigns the cases to various associate justices, thus trying to shape decisions by putting the right players in the right place.

[Dianna]

The big deal is that the chief justice assigns the cases to various associate justices, thus trying to shape decisions by putting the right players in the right place.

Ok, but if the full set of Justices get to vote anyway, I guess I don't understand how this shapes things.