Re:a citizen can't afford a lawsuit (Score 1)

That doesn't apply under the American system of law - here as a general rule each side is responsible for its own attorney's fees. There are some exceptions, albeit very rare. Sometimes you may hear of "costs" being awarded to the winner of a case, however, that refers to things besides attorney's fees, such as filing costs, etc., which are comparatively small. Each system, the American rule or a loser-pays system, reflects a judgment in terms of balancing access to the courts against preventing frivalous lawsuits and promoting out-of-court settlement.