The U.S. Supreme Court continues to slow-walk the scheduling of certain oral arguments, apparently in hopes that a ninth justice will join the court soon.

When it issued its February argument calendar on December 22, it again omitted three pending cases granted months ago that would, in ordinary circumstances, already have been argued in the fall. The justices seem be waiting for a justice who could participate in oral argument in the cases and then vote, possibly breaking a 4-4 tie.