Anna Smith is a mother of two who lives in rural Idaho, works the night shift as a nurse and goes to the gym a lot. She rarely follows the news and knows little about the debate over government surveillance and privacy that has rocked Washington in recent weeks.

None of that is stopping her from suing the president of the United States.

Smith is the plaintiff in one of six legal challenges that have been filed over the government's sweeping collection of telephone and Internet records. Her attorney is her husband. She doesn't understand the legal technicalities and worries that the case could distract from her job and parenting duties.