<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience . Please help by spinning off or relocating any relevant information, and removing excessive detail that may be against Wikipedia's inclusion policy . (November 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience . Please help by spinning off or relocating any relevant information, and removing excessive detail that may be against Wikipedia's inclusion policy . (November 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> The Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937 (frequently called the "court - packing plan") was a legislative initiative proposed by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to add more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court . Roosevelt's purpose was to obtain favorable rulings regarding New Deal legislation that the court had ruled unconstitutional . The central provision of the bill would have granted the President power to appoint an additional Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court, up to a maximum of six, for every member of the court over the age of 70 years and 6 months . </P> <P> In the Judiciary Act of 1869 Congress had established that the United States Supreme Court would consist of the Chief Justice and eight associate justices . During Roosevelt's first term the Supreme Court struck down several New Deal measures as being unconstitutional . Roosevelt sought to reverse this by changing the makeup of the court through the appointment of new additional justices who he hoped would rule his legislative initiatives did not exceed the constitutional authority of the government . Since the U.S. Constitution does not define the size of the Supreme Court, Roosevelt pointed out that it was within the power of the Congress to change it . The legislation was viewed by members of both parties as an attempt to stack the court, and was opposed by many Democrats, including Vice President John Nance Garner . The bill came to be known as Roosevelt's "court - packing plan". </P>

What was the purpose of the court packing plan