They believed that freedom, equality, and justice are best achieved by a balance between the two branches of government. Although the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Cherokee, its decision was not enforced. Nearly 4,000 Cherokee died on the Trail of Tears as a result of the Indian removals. The president and Congress have some control of the judiciary with their power to appoint and confirm appointments of judges and justices. Congress can also get around a court ruling by passing a slightly different law than one previously declared unconstitutional.
Courts also have limited power to implement the decisions that they make.
For example, if the president or another member of the executive branch chooses to ignore a ruling, there is very little that the federal courts can do about it. For example, the Supreme Court ruled against the removal of the Cherokee from their native lands in 1831. President Andrew Jackson disagreed. He proceeded with the removal of the Cherokee, and the Supreme Court was powerless to enforce its decision. The 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka regarding integration of schools was not enforced until three years later, when Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, was integrated.