Paris Hilton Charged with Misdemeanor DUI; Jail Time Possible

By Marianne Madden

Published on September 27, 2006

However, as a first-time offender, Hilton is more likely to face a lesser punishment. The minimum penalty for a first-time offender is a fine, probation, and an alcohol rehabilitation program. Experienced DUI attorneys in the LA area say they would be very surprised if Hilton served any jail time.

Hilton’s troubles stem from a Sept. 7 incident in which Hilton was arrested when she was found “driving erratically" in her Mercedes SLR during a late-night Hollywood burger run. The heiress claims she drank only one margarita at a charity event earlier that night and had not eaten that day, as she was busy filming a music video. She was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 -- the minimum to warrant an arrest.

The heiress, pop singer, and famous partier is being charged with two misdemeanors: one for driving under the influence and another for driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08. She is not required to attend her arraignment at Superior Court.

Hilton spent Monday in Germany at Oktoberfest, the annual celebration of brewed beverages. She initially laughed off the DUI arrest as "nothing," and her defenders emphasize that her blood alcohol concentration was the absolute minimum to warrant an arrest.

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