Chronology Of The Case
Following are the key events in Paula Jones' sexual harassment case against President Bill Clinton:
1994:
May 6: Jones files a civil suit against President Clinton in U.S. District Court in Little Rock, Arkansas. She seeks $700,000 in damages for "willful, outrageous and malicious conduct" at the Excelsior Hotel in Little Rock on May 8, 1991. Her court papers accuse Mr. Clinton of "sexually harassing and assaulting" her, then defaming her with denials.
Aug. 10: President Clinton files a motion to dismiss Jones' suit on grounds of presidential immunity.
Dec. 28: U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright rules that a trial cannot take place until Mr. Clinton leaves office. But she also rules that fact-finding procedures such as taking sworn statements can proceed.
1995:
Jan. 17: Jones asks the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis to reverse the decision postponing a trial.
Feb. 24: Judge Wright delays fact-finding in the case, pending a ruling by the appeals court.
Sept. 14: A three-judge appeals court panel hears President Clinton's lawyers argue that allowing Jones' case to proceed while the president is in office would distract him from more important matters. Jones' lawyers argue she should have the same rights as anyone else bringing a lawsuit.
1996:
Jan. 9: The appeals panel rules 2-1 that Jones' lawsuit can go to trial.
May 15: President Clinton asks the Supreme Court to delay Jones' case until he leaves office.
June 24: The Supreme Court agrees to consider whether Jones' lawsuit should be delayed until President Clinton leaves office. The move puts the lawsuit on hold until after the November election.
1997:
May 27: The Supreme Court rules the lawsuit can move ahead.
Aug. 22: Judge Wright sets a May 27, 1998, trial date but dismisses the claim that President Clinton defamed Jones.
Sept. 9: A federal judge allows Jones' lawyers to withdraw from the suit but directs that the case stay on course for the May trial date.
Dec. 8: Jones reduces the damages sought in her suit against President Clinton to $525,000 and drops defamation claims against Mr. Clinton's co-defendant, former bodyguard Danny Ferguson.
1998:
Jan. 7: Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky signs an affidavit for Jones' attorneys in which she says she never had a sexual relationship with President Clinton.
Jan. 16: Whitewater Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr gets permission from a three-judge federal panel to expand his investigation of Mr. Clinton's business dealings to include whether an effort was made to suborn a false statement from Lewinsky.
Jan. 17: President Clinton is questioned by Jones' attorneys for six hours in Bennett's Washington law office.
Feb. 17: President Clinton's lawyers file a motion in Little Rock asking Judge Wright again to dismiss ones' suit, arguing in 442 pages of documents that her attorneys failed to produce evidence supporting crucial legal elements of her complaint.
March 13: Arguing against the dismissal motion, Jones' attorneys file documents with the court alleging that President Clinton made sexual advances against several women and took part in a "vast enterprise to suppress evidence" in the case.
March 20: In a final pretrial bid to derail Paula Jones' sexual harassment lawsuit, President Clinton's lawyers contend that Jones and her key witnesses lack credibility and that former White House volunteer Kathleen Willey's allegations of an unwanted sexual advance are irrelevant.
March 28: Jones' attorneys file court papers contending President Clinton obstructed justice by withholding letters, notes and telephone messages between the president and Kathleen Willey until after she accused him of a crude sexual advance on national television.
March 31: Paula Jones' lawyers ask a federal appeals court for permission to use evidence from the Monica Lewinsky case in their lawsuit against President Clinton.
April 1: In Little Rock, Judge Wright throws out Paula Jones' sexual harassment lawsuit against President Clinton.
April 16: Jones announces that she intends to appeal Judge Wright's decision.
April 29: Jones files appeal papers in court in Little Rock
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