Chief Justice John Roberts, who hasn't had time to put his ideological imprint on the U.S. Supreme Court, is already giving it his personal stamp.

Seven months into the job, Roberts looks very much at home on a court where he argued 39 cases as a Washington lawyer. He is embracing his role as the public face of the nation's judiciary while drawing accolades from justices and litigants alike for his smooth handling of the court's business.

``I can easily think of at least 39 other occasions in which I was a lot more nervous, so that might help a little bit,'' Roberts said in a brief interview in his office last week.

Some lawyers say Roberts's leadership has improved the tone of hearings and might even be a reason for an unusual string of unanimous rulings. If so, those achievements are especially notable given that Roberts, 51, is the youngest chief justice in two centuries and was born after all eight of his colleagues, a group that includes 86-year-old John Paul Stevens.

A nice article on a good man.