[maryz]

I'm sorry for being so dense -- but I still don't have a clear idea of what "assignment of cases" means in the concrete. :-(

[Lurking Libertarian]

I'm sorry for being so dense -- but I still don't have a clear idea of what "assignment of cases" means in the concrete. :-(

After the Supreme Court hears a case, they meet privately and take an initial vote. The Chief Justice, if he is in the majority (or the most senior justice in the majority, if the Chief is in the minority) assigns one justice in the majority to write the opinion for the Court.

[mwl1]

It means that the chief justice gets to assign the lead writer to the majority opinion after the justices caucus over one case or another. The person who gets that appointment will often influence others one way or another based on their respective logic, their writing, legal precedent, and stream of consciousness.

There is an old saying that is applicable across government: people are policy.