What was the purpose of Franklin D. Roosevelt's court packing plan?

Franklin D. Roosevelt's court packing plan aimed to increase the size of the Supreme Court in order to gain a more favorable outcome for his New Deal legislation. In the context of the 1930s, many of Roosevelt’s programs were being struck down by a conservative Supreme Court that viewed them as unconstitutional. This situation led Roosevelt to propose a plan that would allow him to appoint additional justices, effectively increasing the number of justices on the court.

The underlying goal was to ensure that the judiciary would be more aligned with his policies and to create a majority that would support his New Deal reforms. By expanding the court, Roosevelt hoped to push back against what he viewed as judicial overreach and obstruction. Although the plan ultimately faced significant opposition and did not pass, its introduction highlighted the tensions between the executive branch and the judiciary, as well as the significant power dynamics at play during that time in American governance.