Changing the Court's ideological direction : the Burger and Rehnquist Courts

Throughout the political history of the United States, the executive branch has attempted to change the ideological focus of the Supreme Court. This work examines the historical record of presidential Court packing and how some chief executives were successful in achieving their aims while others were not. Using the recent examples of the Burger and Rehnquist Courts, the paper examines the four elements of success and their effect on the Court's ideological direction. The results show that the appointment system, judicial leadership, judicial activism and congressional and executive support for the Court aid in presidential success at changing its ideological direction.