[dvwjr]

You lost me. If O'Connor goes home to be with her ill husband, the Supreme Court goes from 9 to eight. With no new confirmed nominee, then any 4-4 tie decisions mean that the lower court decision stands. There is NO tie-breaker by the Chief Justice, he is just one of the eight votes if there remains a vacant seat...


dvwjr

[William Terrell]

I've been reading about the chief justice being the tie breaker, but if it evens up so much the better. The Supreme Court chooses its cases from a huge selection. Lately, the cases it chooses have been rather violent to our constitutional way of life.