About Supreme 13
Supreme 13 is an independent advocacy and information project intended to serve as a serious, evidence-based resource for organizations, community advocates, policymakers, researchers, journalists, and members of the public interested in Supreme Court expansion.
The site brings together research, news, commentary, legislation, documented endorsements, and original analysis. Supreme 13 supports Supreme Court expansion while aiming to make the underlying evidence, competing arguments, and source material easy to find and evaluate.
The Proposal in Brief
Supreme 13 supports increasing the U.S. Supreme Court’s authorized membership from nine justices to 13 through federal legislation. The number 13 is tied to a clear institutional benchmark: the federal judiciary has 13 courts of appeals. The proposal also draws on the historical relationship between the size of the Supreme Court and the federal circuit system.
Supreme 13’s case for expansion is also political and tied to the next realistic opportunity to enact it. As discussed in Choice, Circumstance, and the Case for Supreme Court Expansion, since 1970, no fully staffed Court has had a majority of justices appointed by Democratic presidents. If the 2028 elections give Democrats the presidency and control of both chambers of Congress, Supreme 13 argues that Court expansion should be treated as an essential part of the governing agenda in 2029 rather than as an afterthought.
For a detailed discussion of the proposal and the questions it raises, see the Frequently Asked Questions About Supreme Court Expansion.
What You Will Find on Supreme 13
Frequently Asked Questions. Read a comprehensive explanation of Supreme 13’s proposal, its legal and historical foundation, the strongest objections, alternative reforms, implementation questions, public support, and the evidence behind the debate. Visit the FAQs.
Resources. Browse news articles, opinion pieces, scholarship and research, interviews, and legislation concerning Supreme Court expansion.
Endorsements. Review documented support for Supreme Court expansion from U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, and organizations.
Blog. Read original Supreme 13 analysis and commentary on Court expansion, reform, legislation, Supreme Court appointments, and the case for a 13-justice Court.
Contact. Use the Contact page to suggest resources, submit documented endorsement evidence, report a correction, or ask a question.
Editorial Standards
Supreme 13 seeks to distinguish established facts and source material from its own analysis and advocacy positions. The site links to primary or original sources whenever practical and uses secondary sources when they provide useful context, analysis, or reporting.
Endorsement directories require public evidence of support for expanding the Supreme Court. For members of Congress, sponsorship or cosponsorship of Court-expansion legislation is sufficient evidence for inclusion; official statements, interviews, op-eds, campaign materials, and public social media statements may provide additional support. Organizations are included based on documented public positions.
Supreme 13 welcomes corrections and suggested additions through the Contact page.