FDR and the Supreme Court

Discover why Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a polarizing plan to confront a conservative Supreme Court that had struck down many New Deal programs. FDR asked for the power to name a new justice for every member who did not resign six months after reaching the age of 70. FDR claimed that retiring elderly judges would improve the Court’s efficiency. Ultimately, the bill failed. FDR managed to replace eight Supreme Court justices during his presidency.