John Roberts is the chief justice of the US Supreme Court. But the fall of Roe v Wade and abortion rights have left him 'weakened'

After 17 years as Chief Justice, John Roberts's command of the court has been diminished by the overturning of Roe v Wade, legal experts in the US say.  (Reuters: Jabin Botsford)

When the US Supreme Court rocked America by toppling the constitutional right to an abortion, it seemed like the conservative super-majority on the bench had never been more powerful or more united. 

But a few clues in the judgement suggest the man who is ostensibly the highest-ranking officer of the court has never been more isolated.