Clinton v. Jones

137 L. Ed. 2d 945 · Supreme Court of the United States · 1997

Facts

Paula Jones sued President Clinton for sexual harassment and defamation based on events that occurred in 1991 when he was Governor of Arkansas. Clinton sought to dismiss the suit or defer it until his presidency ended, arguing for presidential immunity from civil litigation for unofficial acts while in office. The District Court stayed the trial but allowed discovery, and the Court of Appeals reversed the stay.

Issue

Does the U.S. Constitution grant a sitting President immunity from civil lawsuits for unofficial conduct occurring before taking office, or require federal courts to defer such litigation until the President's term ends?

Holding

No, the Constitution does not grant a sitting President immunity from civil lawsuits for unofficial conduct, nor does it require federal courts to defer such litigation. The District Court abused its discretion by granting a lengthy stay of the trial.

Rule

A sitting President is not entitled to absolute immunity from civil damages litigation arising out of unofficial conduct occurring before taking office. The doctrine of separation of powers does not require federal courts to stay such private actions, and a lengthy, categorical stay of trial is an abuse of discretion.

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Case brief last reviewed 2026-01-16. Prepared by CaseReader from the published opinion.