If there are nine supreme courts justices

[brettdale]

How can there be four four ties?

[intrepidity]

1. When one dies

8 remain

[TexasProgresive]

2. Until a nominee is confirmed and sworn in

there are 8 justices.

[brettdale]

3. Oh and what say

a Vote ends up 4-4.

Nothing changes???

[Kelvin Mace]

4. Lower court ruling stands

Or the case can be held.

[TexasProgresive]

7. As far as I know

I don't the the chief has a 1.1 vote. A tie is a tie. If someone else has a better answer I would like to read it.

[TeddyR]

8. A tie

Means the ruling from the lower court stands but the SC decision is not binding precedent. Issue could be reconsidered by the SC in the future but in the meantime courts in other Federal Circuits can rule however they want on an issue

[PoliticAverse]

5. A justice might recuse themself because they were somehow involved in the case...

that was being brought before the court. Justice Kagan recused herself from cases she was involved with when
she was Solicitor General.

Note that right now there are only 8 justices as Justice Scalia died this past week.

[deathrind]

6. Once in a while a justice

Will recuse themselves from a case due to a conflict of interest.

For example:

http://www.scotusblog.com/2012/10/scotus-for-law-students-sponsored-by-bloomberg-law-justice-kagans-recusals/

[oberliner]

9. Sometimes a judge needs to recuse him or herself

And then only eight of them vote.

[Agnosticsherbet]

10. When one recuses him or herself, or when there is a vacancy.

four four ties are quite possible.