Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Transformation of the Supreme Court

Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed ten justices to the U.S. Supreme Court - more than any president except Washington - and during his presidency from 1933 to 1945, the Court gained more visibility, underwent greater change, and made more landmark decisions than it had in its previous 150 years of existence. FDR challenged, confronted, and ultimately transformed the Supreme Court from a conservative, anti-interventionist institution opposed to government involvement in the economy to a liberal, activist Court that expanded government powers, protected civil liberties, and promoted civil rights. This collection of ten essays examines FDR’s influence on the Supreme Court and the Court’s growing influence on American life during his presidency. Subjects include the court-packing fight of 1937, the impact of the New Deal on the Court, key FDR appointments (Hugo Black, Felix Frankfurter, and William O. Douglas), and the Roosevelt Court’s enduring legacy.