By MaxSigma | February 12, 2026 | Power & Institutions
Sometimes the difference isn’t in what’s said, but in what’s done—and how often.
I’ve been looking at how modern U.S. presidents engage with the legal system, not as defendants, but as plaintiffs. Who files lawsuits, how often, and through what mechanisms?
The charts below are a simple attempt to visualize that.
The first shows the relative volume of personal litigation. Even on a logarithmic scale, one presidency sits far outside the historical pattern.
The second compares personal litigation with state litigation—cases brought through the Department of Justice and federal agencies. It highlights where legal conflict typically resides, and where it does not.
The third looks at the scale of damages sought, which adds another dimension. Frequency is one thing. Magnitude is another.
One President sits outside the pattern
Most Litigation flows through state or federal institutions
Magnitude changes the interpretation
There’s no conclusion here—just a pattern worth noticing.
I’m still adding this one up.
MaxSigma — Thinking in public. Summing what matters.
