Gorsuch Takes Inside-Player Role in Second Term on Supreme Court

Chief Justice John Roberts did something unusual when he decided who would write a major U.S. Supreme Court opinion curbing class action lawsuits by workers: He turned to the newest justice, Neil Gorsuch.

Seven months later, Gorsuch produced a 5-4 opinion that let employers enforce agreements requiring workers to take disputes to individual arbitration proceedings.

The opinion issued May 21 is the latest sign of a developing role for Gorsuch, whose first months as a justice last year were defined by assertive opinions that aligned him with arch-conservative Clarence Thomas.

Gorsuch, appointed by President Donald Trump, has been less of ...