The court system is better suited to protect individual rights than the elected branches of government because judges are guided by the Constitution and the law, rather than public opinion or political pressure. Elected officials, such as members of Congress or mayors, often make decisions based on what the majority of voters want in order to stay in office, which can sometimes harm the rights of individuals or minority groups. For example, in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, even though many elected officials in the South supported segregation at the time. This showed how the courts can protect individuals from unfair treatment, even when it is unpopular. Although federal judges are not elected, this system is designed to keep them independent from political influence. As discussed in Federalist No. 10, the Founders wanted to prevent factions and majority rule from threatening individual rights, so they created a judiciary that could act as a neutral guardian of the Constitution. While this makes the courts less democratic in the sense that citizens do not vote for judges, it helps ensure that justice is based on law and principle, not politics or popularity.