Question

Which action is often viewed as the most serious attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary?

a. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s plan to reorganize the Supreme Court
b. appointment of Supreme Court justices to unlimited terms of office
c. periodic increases in the salaries of Supreme Court justices
d. power of Congress to confirm appointment of Supreme Court justices

Answer 1

a. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s plan to reorganize the Supreme Court

Explanation: FDR’s 1937 “court‑packing” plan to add justices was widely seen as a direct attempt to change the Court’s composition to secure favorable rulings, undermining judicial independence and the separation of powers.