Does Nationality Matter? A Comparative Assessment of Perceptions Related to Litigiousness among Americans and Germans

Prior research has examined the salience of civil rights and freedom, core tenets of American life, and their impact on court accessibility and litigiousness. We extend this research by using a nationally representative sample of US and German residents to examine the impact of reported civic involvement and the perceived effectiveness of these activities on three outcomes related to litigiousness – use of a lawyer, seriously considering suing, and actually suing. The findings indicate that, with the exception of boycotting, civic involvement is not a significant predictor of litigiousness. Those who believe litigating is an effective way to participate in public life are more likely to litigate. Notably, Americans also are less likely than Germans to see litigation as effective and are substantially less likely to sue.