How would FDR's court-packing scheme have changed the Supreme Court?

Question

O It would have forced the Court to approve pending New Deal legislation.
• It would have expanded the Court by allowing the president to appoint new justices when existing justices turned 70.
• It would have removed the Four Horsemen who were opposing the New Deal from the Court

Answer 1

FDR's court-packing scheme would have primarily expanded the Court by allowing the president to appoint new justices when existing justices turned 70. This proposal aimed to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from nine to up to fifteen, which would have given President Franklin D. Roosevelt the opportunity to appoint additional justices who were more favorable to his New Deal policies.

While the intent behind the plan was to secure a more favorable judicial interpretation of FDR's legislative agenda, the scheme faced significant public backlash and opposition from both the public and within Congress. As a result, it ultimately did not pass. If it had been successful, it could have led to a Supreme Court that was more aligned with the New Deal initiatives and possibly more progressive in its rulings. However, such a move would also have raised concerns about the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary.