It was a routine day at the Supreme Court, with five decisions announced and a single oral argument on the docket.

But for 80 minutes on 20 February, spectators in the courtroom saw the Roberts Court in sharp relief, displaying the look and feel of a new institution, complete with different priorities and dynamics. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr has been in office for more than two years but, on this day more than most, the court seemed determined to show that a page has turned.