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Why did Franklin D. Roosevelt propose adding justices to the Supreme Court in the 1930s?

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A person ascends the steps of the west facade of the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., with its tall columns and a round fountain in the foreground. — Supreme Court of the United States The west facade of the U.S. Supreme Court building, Washington, D.C.

During the 1930s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a reorganization plan for the Supreme Court of the United States primarily to overcome judicial opposition to his New Deal reforms.12

During his first term, the Court—composed entirely of pre-Roosevelt appointees—had invalidated several key legislative measures. As Roosevelt entered his second term, he sought to protect pending legislation, such as the Social Security Act and the Wagner Act, from being struck down. His proposal would have allowed him to appoint one new justice for every sitting justice aged 70 or older, effectively enabling him to create a liberal majority that would be more supportive of his reform agenda.12

Widely criticized as a "court-packing" scheme, the plan faced intense opposition and was ultimately defeated in the Senate. However, the political pressure surrounding the proposal coincided with a shift in the Court’s jurisprudence, as it began upholding federal economic regulations, rendering the plan unnecessary.12