Justice Owen J. Roberts, appointed by President Herbert Hoover in 1930, played a pivotal role in the constitutional debates of the New Deal era. Initially part of the Court’s conservative bloc, Roberts famously shifted his stance in 1937, supporting key New Deal legislation and ending the “Lochner era” of judicial conservatism. This shift, known as the “switch in time that saved nine,” was instrumental in defusing President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s court-packing plan.
Roberts was also influential in cases involving civil liberties and international law. In West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish (1937), he upheld minimum wage laws, signaling a broader acceptance of economic regulation. Roberts’s dissent in Korematsu v. United States (1944), which upheld the internment of Japanese Americans, showcased his commitment to individual rights.
Roberts retired in 1945, leaving behind a legacy as a justice who adapted to the challenges of his time. He passed away in 1955.
