The U.S. Supreme Court launches its October 2021 term still in the middle of a pandemic and with cases that potentially may shatter the general consensus and narrow decision-making that marked the prior term.

“Last term, the court was able to forge narrow consensus in a number of hot-button cases,” said Shay Dvoretzky, chair of the Supreme Court and appellate practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.