▁faith ▁action . ▁ ▁" The ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁is ▁not ▁only ▁a ▁court ▁of ▁law ▁but ▁a ▁court ▁of ▁justice ." ▁ ▁Se par ation ▁of ▁powers ▁The ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁bal ances ▁several ▁press ures ▁to ▁maintain ▁its ▁roles ▁in ▁national ▁government . ▁It ▁see ks ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁co - equal ▁branch ▁of ▁government , ▁but ▁its ▁decre es ▁must ▁be ▁en force able . ▁The ▁Court ▁see ks ▁to ▁minim ize ▁situations ▁where ▁it ▁as ser ts ▁itself ▁superior ▁to ▁either ▁President ▁or ▁Congress , ▁but ▁federal ▁officers ▁must ▁be ▁held ▁account able . ▁The ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁assumes ▁power ▁to ▁declare ▁acts ▁of ▁Congress ▁as ▁un const itution al ▁but ▁it ▁self - limits ▁its ▁passing ▁on ▁constitution al ▁questions . ▁But ▁the ▁Court ' s ▁guidance ▁on ▁basic ▁problems ▁of ▁life ▁and ▁govern ance ▁in ▁a ▁dem ocracy ▁is ▁most ▁effective ▁when ▁American ▁political ▁life ▁rein force ▁its ▁r ul ings . ▁ ▁Justice ▁Bran de is ▁summar ized ▁four ▁general ▁gu idel ines ▁that ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁uses ▁to ▁avoid ▁constitution al ▁dec isions ▁rel ating ▁to ▁Congress : ▁The ▁Court ▁will ▁not ▁anticip ate ▁a ▁question ▁of ▁constitution al ▁law ▁nor ▁decide ▁open ▁questions ▁unless ▁a ▁case ▁decision ▁requires ▁it . ▁If ▁it ▁does , ▁a ▁rule ▁of ▁constitution al ▁law ▁is ▁form ulated ▁only ▁as ▁the ▁precise ▁facts ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁require . ▁The ▁Court ▁will ▁choose ▁stat utes ▁or ▁general ▁law ▁for ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁its ▁decision ▁if ▁it ▁can ▁without ▁constitution al ▁grounds . ▁If