Court Packing

Court packing is the attempt to influence a court’s composition by adding or removing judges to shape its decisions or ideological balance. For example, a government might increase the number of judges who share its views to favor its policies or restrict decisions they oppose. The most well-known case was in the U.S. in 1937, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed adding more Supreme Court justices to support New Deal legislation. Critics argue court packing undermines judicial independence and the fairness of the judiciary, as it can be seen as an attempt to manipulate the court’s authority for political gain.