The latest order from the Supreme Court reminds us that the court exercises significant control over its docket and is willing to use its power to move the law in the majority’s preferred direction.

The U.S. Supreme Court signaled on Friday that it will assess the legality of a key component of a landmark federal voting rights law, potentially giving its conservative majority a chance to gut a provision enacted 60 years ago that was intended to prevent racial discrimination in voting.

The justices may limit the ability of courts to take race into account when trying to remedy under-representation by minority voters.