Final answer:
The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in interpreting the Constitution and federal laws, issuing landmark decisions that affect fundamental aspects of democracy such as equal protection, due process, and voting rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Supreme Court's role is to interpret and apply the Constitution and federal law without bias, notwithstanding the personal policy preferences of its justices. For instance, in cases concerning educational equality, the Court has emphasized the imperatives of the Constitution over the efficiency of private schools in relation to state aid and religious affiliations. Cases such as those dealing with equal protection and due process reveal the intricate balance the Court must maintain to uphold constitutional principles, as seen in the per curiam opinion on the manual recount case which impacted the presidential election outcome. Furthermore, the Supreme Court's power to make precedent-setting decisions can be observed in rulings that address voting rights and discriminatory practices such as literacy tests. However, unanimity is not always possible, as indicated by the 4-4 tie following Justice Scalia's death, which left lower court decisions intact due to the evenly divided Supreme Court.