Next week is going to bring decisions in the four "marquee" cases (and seven others) left to be announced by the Supreme Court, and from the sounds of it, they may still be writing them. Reuters reports on the high tension at the court yesterday as Justices Elena Kagan, John Roberts, and their colleagues ascended to the bench to announce the decisions of the week.

We always thought the court saved the biggest decisions for the very end of June to create the most anticipation, but some court watchers tell a different story, one in which the justices are, in fact, just putting off their biggest projects until the very last minute, and may still be crafting their rationales.

Chief Justice Roberts is described as being fidgety Thursday, "rubbing his forehead, his jaw taut" as the decisions in several lower profile cases were announced.

Still coming on Monday, and probably Thursday, with the possibility of other days to be announced, are decisions on affirmative action, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the two gay marriage cases that are keeping much of San Francisco on the edge of its collective seat.

And our guess is the gay stuff is going to wait until Thursday the 27th. There is also the smallest possibility that the Justices will eat into their vacation time and extend the term into July, but that hasn't happened since 1996.

[Reuters]