Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States (1931) Definition

A U.S. Supreme Court case that struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act (a key measure of the New Deal), finding that Congress had improperly delegated authority to make rules governing industries in interstate commerce.

This decision by an aging Court (called "nine old men" by its critics), and similar rulings declaring other New Deal laws unconstitutional, angered President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He considered packing the Supreme Court by adding an additional justice for each one who would not retire at 70 so that he might have a Court that was more receptive to his legislative agenda. Because the court-packing plan proved politically unpopular, Roosevelt never went through with it.

Death and resignation soon gave Roosevelt vacancies to fill on the Court.