<P> The Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937--frequently called the court - packing plan,--was a legislative initiative to add more justices to the Supreme Court proposed by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt shortly after his victory in the 1936 presidential election . Although the bill aimed generally to overhaul and modernize all of the federal court system, its central and most controversial provision would have granted the President power to appoint an additional Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court for every sitting member over the age of 701⁄2, up to a maximum of six . </P> <P> The Constitution is silent when it comes to judges of courts which have been abolished . The Judiciary Act of 1801 increased the number of courts to permit the Federalist President John Adams to appoint a number of Federalist judges before Thomas Jefferson took office . When Jefferson became President, the Congress abolished several of these courts and made no provision for the judges of those courts . Judicial code of 1911 abolished "circuit riding" and transferred the circuit courts authority and jurisdiction to the district courts . </P> <P> The Constitution provides that judges "shall hold their Offices during good Behavior ." The term "good behavior" is interpreted to mean that judges may serve for the remainder of their lives, although they may resign or retire voluntarily . A judge may also be removed by impeachment and conviction by congressional vote (hence the term good behavior); this has occurred fourteen times . Three other judges, Mark W. Delahay, George W. English, and Samuel B. Kent, chose to resign rather than go through the impeachment process . </P> <P> The compensation of judges may not be decreased, but may be increased, during their continuance in office . </P>

Who appoints the judges in the judicial branch