This discussion examines the Judiciary Act of 1925, also known as the “Judges’ Bill,” which transformed how the Supreme Court manages its docket by eliminating most mandatory appeals and establishing the writ of certiorari. The Act enabled the Court to focus on cases of significant public and constitutional importance.
Robert Post, Sterling Professor at Yale Law School, discusses the lobbying effort led by Chief Justice William Howard Taft and the Associate Justices who drafted the bill. Daniel Holt, Associate Historian with the Historical Office of the U.S. Senate, explores Congress’s response and the legislation’s enactment. The conversation is moderated by Executive Director Jim Duff.