THE US Supreme Court ruled unanimously yesterday that Ms Paula Jones may proceed with her sexual harassment suit against President Clinton and that the US presidency is not protected constitutionally from lawsuits.
Ms Jones has alleged that in 1991 Mr Clinton, while Governor of Arkansas, sexually harassed her, exposing himself to her in a Little Rock hotel bedroom and inviting her to have oral sex.
Mr Clinton has denied the allegations, saying he never met her, and sought to defer the trial for the duration of his presidency.
The justices rejected the argument of Mr Clinton's counsel, Mr Robert Bennett, that the separation of powers in the US Constitution precluded litigation against the President.
They said the position of the President "should inform the entire judicial proceedings" so that they would not interfere with Mr Clinton's executive duties.
This means it will probably take a long time before there is a final verdict in this case.
"Deferral of this litigation," the nine-member court decided, "is not constitutionally required."
The ruling permits Ms Jones to continue her suit, which will return to the district court in Little Rock where it began.
Mr Bennett will ask for dismissal. If that is denied, which is likely, a "discovery" process will follow.
"I cannot fully predict how much time it will take," Mr Bennett told CNN.
Mr Clinton says he never met Ms Jones.
We're going to go forward and we're very confident the President will prevail," said Mr Bennett.
On the question of an out-of-court settlement, Mr Bennett said: "The President did nothing wrong. We are not going to do that (agree to a settlement) because that would be the wrong position. We were never prepared to pay money. We were prepared to issue a statement, but not that we would pay them a large sum of money."
Ms Jones, a low-level state employee, was a stranger to Mr Clinton. She did not mention the incident at the time or make any complaint.
The report of what allegedly occurred appeared in a political periodical, the right-wing Spectator.
Ms Jones's lawyers, Mr Gilbert Davis and Mr Joseph Cammarata, said the only person responsible for the litigation is their client - not political enemies of the President.
Mr Davis himself is a politician. He is seeking election as Attorney General of Virginia. "If I become disqualified (as counsel) for taking the oath of office as Attorney General, Mr Cammarata will carry on," Mr Davis said.
He denied that Ms Jones is out for money. But the case will cost a great deal of money, he said.
"What Paula Jones wants is her good name back. We know that no one is above the law in this country and no one is below the law, no matter what their position.
"Paula Jones can be charged with perjury if she is not telling the truth. Everyone is accountable in this nation from the top to the bottom. We don't have kings here. We got rid of George III in the revolution."