The Process for Expanding the Supreme Court
James Wallner, senior governance fellow at the R Street Institute, discussed how Congress could expand the size of the Supreme Court. He spoke about the history relating to the number of justices on the Court, FDR's court packing efforts and the process for expanding the Supreme Court.
Description
James Wallner, senior governance fellow at the R Street Institute, discussed how Congress could expand the size of the Supreme Court. He spoke about the history relating to the number of justices on the Court, FDR's court packing efforts and the process for expanding the Supreme Court.
Bell Ringer Assignment
- How many votes in Senate would be currently required to pass legislation affecting the size and rules of the court? How could this requirement change?
- What is meant by court packing?
- Why did FDR attempt to expand the size of the Supreme Court?
- How has the size of the Supreme Court changed throughout U.S. history?
- What is the process for changing the size of the Supreme Court?
Additional Resources
Participants
Vocabulary
- Checks And Balances
- Chief Justice
- Confirm
- Constitution
- Court Packing
- Filibuster
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Justices
- Legislation
- New Deal
- Nominate
- Nuclear Option
- Override
- Precedent
- Supreme Court
- Veto