Back More
Salem Press

Table of Contents

From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues

Clinton v. Jones (1997)

In Clinton v. Jones the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the Constitution does not prohibit a private citizen from suing a sitting president for acts committed before becoming president. The case developed as a result of Paula Corbin Jones’s allegations that in 1991, when she had been an employee of the State of Arkansas and Bill Clinton had been governor of the state, Clinton had made sexual advances to her. She further claimed that after rejecting the advances, her supervisors had punished her. Jones filed her suit in 1994, after Clinton had become president of the United States. Clinton argued that the president has temporary immunity from civil damage litigation resulting from events that occurred before taking office and that the separation of powers requires federal courts to stay private actions until the president leaves office. The Supreme Court rejected both arguments.

Jones’s original sexual harassment lawsuit did not go to trial. In November 1998, Clinton agreed to pay Jones $850,000 but did not admit to misconduct and did not agree to apologize to her.

See also: Sex Discrimination

References: Clinton v. Jones, No. 95-1853 (1997).

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
"Clinton V. Jones (1997)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, edited by Suzanne O’Dea, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0201.
APA 7th
Clinton v. Jones (1997). From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, In S. O’Dea (Ed.), Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0201.
CMOS 17th
"Clinton V. Jones (1997)." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, Edited by Suzanne O’Dea. Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0201.