District Judge Susan Webber Wright ruled the president had given "intentionally false" evidence about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky during questioning in the Jones hearing.

Ms Jones said Mr Clinon made unwanted advances

She said Mr Clinton was in contempt for "wilful failure" to obey her repeated orders to testify truthfully.

BBC Washington correspondent Paul Reynolds says the ruling is an embarrassment for the president and a distraction at a time when he is seeking to provide strong leadership over Kosovo.

However it is not a threat to his position.

Judge Webber Wright's ruling stemmed from the president's sworn testimony in the Jones case that he did not have a sexual relationship with Miss Lewinsky, the former White House intern.

Katty Kay reports: "Even as the President holds the country in war, he can't shake of the sex scandals"

"The court takes no pleasure whatsoever in holding this nation's president in contempt of court," Judge Webber Wright said.

"The record demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that the president responded to plaintiffs' questions by giving false, misleading and evasive answers that were designed to obstruct the judicial process."

Her finding, a civil ruling, orders Mr Clinton to pay Ms Jones "any reasonable expenses including attorneys' fees caused by his willful failure to obey this court's discovery orders".

Judge Webber Wright said Ms Jones had been entitled to information regarding any state or federal employee with whom the president had or proposed to have sexual relations.

Impeachment

In his deposition in the Jones case, Mr Clinton said: "I have never had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky."

The BBC's Paul Reynolds: This is an embarrassment for the president

He was later forced to acknowledge an "inappropriate intimate relationship" with Ms Lewinsky after his DNA was found on one of her dresses.

The confession lead to his impeachment, but the president was acquitted.

Judge Webber Wright: The president lied

Mr Clinton maintained the relationship did not fall under the definition of "sexual relations" provided by Ms Jones' lawyers, and that his testimony was legally accurate.

In her decision, the judge said: "It is difficult to construe the president's sworn statements ... as anything other than a wilful refusal to obey this court's discovery orders."

"Simply put, the president's deposition testimony regarding whether he had ever been alone with Ms Lewinsky was intentionally false and his statements regarding whether he had ever engaged in sexual relations with Ms Lewinsky likewise were intentionally false."

The president has already agreed to pay $850,000 to Ms Jones in a settlement of her lawsuit.

The former Arkansas state employee said Mr Clinton had made unwanted advances to her in a Little Rock hotel room in 1991.

President Clinton now faces disciplinary action from the the Arkansas Supreme Court. He could be fined or even lose his licence as a lawyer in the state.

White House officials - speaking on condition of anonymity - said it could have been worse: the judge had the option of finding him in criminal contempt.