pack the court
idiomatic phrase
: to increase the number of justices on a court and especially the United States Supreme Court causing the ideological makeup of the Court to shift
"… But if you want to increase the size of the court—pack the court, as it were—all you need is an act of Congress. …"—
David Kaplan
David KaplanIn the simplest terms, court packing is the mechanism of adding Supreme Court justices to a nine person Supreme Court. Packing the court is legal …—Adam Ramer
Adam RamerThe Supreme Court has had nine justices for more than 150 years, but the Constitution does not require nine. Congress sets that number. "Nine seems to be a good number. It's been that way for a long time," [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg told NPR in July 2019. "I think it was a bad idea when President Franklin Roosevelt tried to pack the court."—Megan Henney
Megan HenneyThree new positions on the state Court of Appeals were created unlawfully by the Legislature and must be eliminated, a lawyer for a Republican state lawmaker told a judge Friday. Attorneys … argued … over what GOP legislators describe as a move by former Gov. Jim Hunt to pack the court with Democrats.—Gary D. Robertson
Gary D. RobertsonPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt famously tried to pack the Supreme Court in 1937.—Collin Peterson and Denver Riggleman
Collin Peterson and Denver RigglemanExamples of pack the court in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is far more destructive to the foundations of our nation than was the misguided Democratic plan to pack the court with friendly justices.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 2025
Along with the Bryants, plenty of other stars packed the court to cheer them on.
—Julie Mazziotta, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2024
In the 1930s, FDR attempted to pack the court with six more justices but wasn't successful.
—Ivana Saric, Axios, 29 July 2024
The Roberts court has brought constitutional balance back to the court, and the liberals in this country want to pack the court.
—CBS News, 28 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for pack the court
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 2025
Along with the Bryants, plenty of other stars packed the court to cheer them on.
—Julie Mazziotta, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2024
In the 1930s, FDR attempted to pack the court with six more justices but wasn't successful.
—Ivana Saric, Axios, 29 July 2024
The Roberts court has brought constitutional balance back to the court, and the liberals in this country want to pack the court.
—CBS News, 28 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for pack the court
Cite this Entry
“Pack the court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pack%20the%20court. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share