A portable hand-held power stapler with an outer housing contoured to fit comfortably within the grip of a hand, said stapler having an improved actuation system comprising a manually operated power switch that will actuate the stapling mechanism when a paper-sensing arm positioned in a document insertion slot is brought into contact with the inserted edge of a document, thereby completing the electric circuit to the power source of the electric motor driving the stapling mechanism, said actuation system further having a manually actuated reverse switch to engage a reverse function of the stapling mechanism to clear a paper or staple jam.