united-states
Can the President pardon himself from a lawsuit?
<p>Suppose for some reason not directly related to his presidency (e.g. for breach of a contract we signed before he was president) I sue the current POTUS in a federal court. If I win the lawsuit, and the court orders the President to pay me $100,000, can he pardon himself?</p>

<p>No. The Pardon Clause only extends the power to pardon &quot;offenses against the United States,&quot; which essentially means that the president can only issue a pardon in a federal criminal case.</p>
<p>A contract claim is civil rather than criminal, and governed by state law rather than federal, so the Pardon Clause would not affect the president's liability.</p>
