National Labor Relations Board v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation
National Labor Relations Board v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, 301 U.S. 1 (1937), was a Supreme Court case that declared that the National Labor Relations Act (commonly known as the Wagner Act) was constitutional. It effectively spelled the end to pre-New Deal judicial activism in the sphere of economic legislation, and greatly increased Congress's power under the Commerce Clause. Jones & Laughlin was the nation's largest steel producer and the charges brought against it were that the company discriminated against workers who wanted to join a labor union. The NLRB ruled against the company but Jones & Laughlin refused to comply on the grounds that they believed the act was unconstitutional. Citing Supreme Court precedent, lower courts agreed. Chief Justice Hughes wrote the majority opinion in the case, which reversed the lower court's ruling in a 5-4 decision. This case is not only significant for its expansion of the Commerce Clause but how it might have saved the Supreme Court. After the Court struck down some of President Roosevelt's New_Deal legislation, FDR wanted to add justices to the Court, which would make the Court more liberal. Justice Roberts moved from the conservative to the liberal wing of the court, which was called, "the switch in time that saved nine." After this case, the court-packing plan died in the Senate.
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