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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat is the limit on how many justices sit on the supreme court?
and where is that limit law written?
Was curious if anyone knows. Thanks in advance.
leftstreet
(36,107 posts)wildbilln864
(13,382 posts)malthaussen
(17,193 posts)Provides for the establishment of the Supreme Court.
The number of justices was fixed at nine by the Judiciary Act of 1869. As the number is not set it the Constitution, it has varied by statute (and could thus be theoretically changed by statute in the future).
-- Mal
H2O Man
(73,537 posts)The last person who wanted to change it was FDR. That's considered his greatest error by many historians.
truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)and the Court stopped declaring all of his new programs unconstitutional.
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)In 1866, at the behest of Chief Justice Chase, Congress passed an act providing that the next three justices to retire would not be replaced, which would thin the bench to seven justices by attrition. Consequently, one seat was removed in 1866 and a second in 1867. In 1869, however, the Circuit Judges Act returned the number of justices to nine,[64] where it has since remained.
Plus of course FDR tried to pack the court because he was pissed off at the current members, but got nowhere with that plan.
We've had nine justices for so long that it's a pretty holy number.
wildbilln864
(13,382 posts)SheilaT
(23,156 posts)wildbilln864
(13,382 posts)& I like that number. lol.
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)wildbilln864
(13,382 posts)AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)Also No Fences wss Garth Brooks biggest selling record.
Also no means no.
Also r/nononono is my favorite subreddit if not r/popping
wildbilln864
(13,382 posts)you answered an un asked question. but thanks anyway.