If a Supreme Court justice retires or dies in the next two years…..

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Obama should nominate himself as a nomination and simultaneously put Biden up for ambassador for Mexico or some place. That means the GOP will have to go along with his plans, because they'll be shot of Obama and have a chance to prove themselves in the White House for two years with Boehner.

It doesn't have to be Boehner. The Speaker of the House could temporarily be someone else, and the Speaker doesn't have to be a member of the House.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Speaking of courts, I hope Reid and Obama start packing the remaining court vacancies very soon.

It sounds like they don't have time to them all of them, but one can hope they prioritize and certainly fill all the vacant circuit court positions.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

If there is a vacancy (or even just a recusal for that matter) what happens in the case of a 4-4 split? Just for the sake of argument, say the issue is the blockbuster national gay marriage case making its way up the ranks. What happens?

The lower court ruling stands.

And if the lower court ruling is split?

Then it stays split.