Has there ever been more than 9 Supreme Court Justices?

Question

I understand FDR's court packing plan didn't work but I thought that sometime before that we had a supreme court with more than 9 justices.

Am I wrong.

Answer 1

Article 3 of the Constitution determines there is to be a Supreme Court, however, it leaves the number of justices up to Congress. The Judiciary Act of the 1789 created one Chief Justice and 5 Associates, then was gradually increased to a total of 10 in 1863. Andrew Johnson's administration reduced the number to 7 as vacancies occured, though it never fell to less than 8. Congress made the number 9 in 1948

So, in short, yes there was a time there were more than 9 justices.

Answer 2

The Federral Supreme court is controlled by clauses in the Consititution. So increasing or decreasing would take an Amendment to the Consititution to do that.