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A "switch in time" (obviously a play on "a stitch in time saves nine") refers to when Justice Roberts did an unexpected change and voted to support one of FDR's new deal pieces of legislation even though he had consistently been against New Deal legislation.

The "saves nine" portion because FDR was threatening a court packing plan to increase the number of justices up to 15 to make sure that the old guard would be outnumbered. (And of course there were and still are nine justices on the Supreme Court)

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"The switch in time that saved nine" refers to US Supreme Court swing voter Justice Owen Roberts' 1937 decision to begin voting with the progressive bloc of justices, ending the Court's blockade of New Deal legislation. This decision is alleged to have been made just in time to prevent Roosevelt from implementing his controversial court-packing scheme. In fact, Congress stripped Roosevelt's provision from the bill and Roberts had apparently decided how he was going to vote on the case prior to Roosevelt announcing his judicial reorganization plan.

Explanation

In April 1937, the Supreme Court's swing voter, Justice Owen Roberts, shifted his vote on New Deal programs from conservative to liberal, giving the Roosevelt administration an important win in West Coast Hotel v. Parrish, (1937), upholding a state minimum wage law. This shift was referred to as "the switch in time that saved nine," meaning Owens' decision to vote with the liberal bloc saved the nine justices from Roosevelt's scheme (the phrase was a play on the old aphorism, "a stitch in time saves nine."). (Historians claim Owens' decision had already been made before the Judiciary Reorganization Bill was announced.) The Court also delivered two unanimous opinions on New Deal-friendly cases the same day. These decisions further decayed voter support for reorganization.

For more information, see Related Questions, below.

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Q: What does 'the switch in time that saved nine' mean in reference to the US Supreme Court in 1937?
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What was the switch in time that saved nine?

The switch in time that saved nine is the term for the seemingly sudden change in the vote of Justice Owen Roberts to side with the conservatives in voting against the court reform bill. It is a play on the phrase "a stitch in time saves nine", because the vote saved the 9 Supreme Court justices from the reform bill that would add more justices.


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What was the switch in time that saved nine?

The switch in time that saved nine is the term for the seemingly sudden change in the vote of Justice Owen Roberts to side with the conservatives in voting against the court reform bill. It is a play on the phrase "a stitch in time saves nine", because the vote saved the 9 Supreme Court justices from the reform bill that would add more justices.


When did Roosevelt's court-packing plan become unnecessary?

Roosevelt's court-packing plan became unnecessary when the swing voter on the US Supreme Court, Justice Owen Roberts, shifted his (and the Court's) support to favor the New Deal when he voted minimum wage laws were constitutional in West Coast Hotel v. Parrish, (1937). This is often referred to as "the switch in time that saved nine," although historians suggest Owens' may have made his decision prior to the court-packing scandal.Older members of the Court began dying or retiring in 1937, eventually vacating eight of the nine Supreme Court seats. This allowed President Roosevelt to realize his desire for a liberal court through legitimate appointments.


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