Details:

Willis Van Devanter autographed official United States Supreme Court card, dated May 17, 1937, featuring the engraved letterhead "Supreme Court of the United States, Washington, D.C."

Van Devanter has personally signed "Willis Van Devanter" in black ink across the center of the card, adding the handwritten date "May 17, 1937" beneath his signature.

An exceptionally interesting Supreme Court autograph bearing a significant date in American judicial history. On May 18, 1937, just one day after dating this card, Van Devanter formally notified President Franklin D. Roosevelt of his intention to retire from the Supreme Court, effective June 2, 1937.

His retirement came during the height of Roosevelt's controversial Supreme Court expansion proposal, commonly known as the "Court-Packing Plan." Van Devanter's departure created the first Supreme Court vacancy of Roosevelt's presidency, allowing him to appoint Justice Hugo Black later that year.

Van Devanter was one of the four conservative Supreme Court justices commonly known as the "Four Horsemen," alongside Pierce Butler, George Sutherland, and James Clark McReynolds. The group frequently opposed major New Deal legislation, arguing that federal economic regulations exceeded constitutional limits.

This card's May 17, 1937 date, immediately preceding Van Devanter's historic retirement announcement, makes it a particularly desirable example of his autograph.

The card measures approximately 4.25 x 3.25 inches. Fine condition.

Willis Van Devanter (1859–1941) was an American attorney and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1911 to 1937. Appointed by President William Howard Taft, he previously served as Chief Justice of the Wyoming Territorial Supreme Court and as a federal appellate judge. A prominent conservative voice during the Taft and Hughes Courts, Van Devanter became a central figure in the constitutional controversies surrounding President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. His retirement in June 1937 marked a significant turning point in the political struggle between Roosevelt and the Supreme Court.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11700 1419430-1