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Brief Fact Summary:

The Respondent, Paula Jones Corbin (Respondent), filed a complaint containing fo


ur counts against the Petitioner, President Clinton (Petitioner), alleging the P
etitioner made unwanted sexual advances towards her when he was the Governor of
Arkansas.
Synopsis of Rule of Law:
The United States Constitution (Constitution) does not automatically grant the P
resident of the United States immunity from civil lawsuits based upon his privat
e conduct unrelated to his official duties as President.
Facts:
The Respondent filed a complaint against the Petitioner alleging that the Petiti
oner made unwanted sexual advances towards her when he was the Governor of Arkan
sas. The Petitioner filed motions asking the district court to dismiss the case
on grounds of presidential immunity and to prohibit the Respondent from re-filin
g the suit until after the end of his presidency. The district court rejected th
e presidential immunity argument, but held that no trial would take place until
the Petitioner was no longer president. Both parties appealed to the United Stat
es Supreme Court (Supreme Court), which granted certiorari.
Issue:
Whether the President can be involved in a lawsuit during his presidency for act
ions that occurred before the tenure of his presidency and that were not related
to official duties of the presidency?
Held:
Affirmed.
The President of the United States can be involved in a lawsuit during his tenur
e for actions not related to his official duties as President.
It was an abuse of discretion of the District Court to order a stay of this laws
uit until after the Presidents tenure. The District Courts decision to order a sta
y was premature and a lengthy and categorical stay takes no account whatsoever o
f the Respondents interest in bringing the suit to trial.
Concurrence. It is important to recognize that civil lawsuits could significantl
y interfere with the public duties of an official. The concurring judge believed
that ordinary case-management principles were likely to prove insufficient to d
eal with private civil lawsuits, unless supplemented with a constitutionally bas
ed requirement that district courts schedule proceedings so as to avoid signific
ant interference with the Presidents ongoing discharge of his official responsibi
lities.
Discussion:
A sitting President of The United States does not have immunity from civil lawsu
its based on the Presidents private actions unrelated to his public actions as Pr
esident. The doctrine of separation of powers does not require federal courts to
stay all private actions against the President until he leaves office. The doct
rine of separation of powers is concerned with the allocation of official power
among the three co-equal branches of governme

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