jul 22, 1937 - Court Packing Scheme

Description:

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "court packing" scheme in 1937 was a controversial plan to increase the number of U.S. Supreme Court justices from nine to as many as fifteen. Roosevelt proposed this in an effort to obtain a more favorable ruling environment for his New Deal programs, which were facing significant constitutional challenges; however, the plan was widely criticized and ultimately defeated, damaging Roosevelt's political capital.

Added to timeline:

Date: