Times previews Court term

Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times previews the upcoming Supreme Court term in this story. I thought perhaps President Bush would announce his next nominee today, but so far it hasn't happened. Thus, as Greenhouse mentions, the Court is in a transition period in which Justice O'Connor will sit for oral arguments and decide cases until her successor is named. But the possibility looms of some 4-4 Court splits if Justice O'Connor's successor is confirmed by the Senate in the middle of the term.