Paris Ordered to Court

Tue., Apr. 17, 2007 4:13 PM PDT by Gina Serpe

A Los Angeles judge ordered Paris Hilton to clear her calendar on May 4 and show up in court, where she may face jail time for a probation violation charge.

The city attorney's office said last month that Hilton had been driving with a suspended license when she was pulled over Feb. 27—a big no-no for the Simple Lifer who is on probation for alcohol-induced reckless driving.

Hilton could face up to 90 days behind bars if she's found in violation.

The celebutante was not present Tuesday during a closed-door tête-à-tête among Judge Michael T. Sauer, Deputy City Attorney Dan Jeffries and her legal crew. Following the conference, Sauer announced that Hilton would be required in court in three weeks.

Jeffries told reporters that he expects Sauer to "hear the matter that day," and Hilton attorney Howard Weitzman hinted that the matter is getting close to resolution. But another of Hilton's lawyers, Shawn Chapman Holley, seemed less certain.

"We don't know if it will be a hearing or not," he said of the pending court date.

Whatever it is, the two sides will be discussing the February incident in which the 26-year-old Hilton was pulled over by L.A.'s finest after allegedly speeding down Sunset Boulevard with the headlights of her 2007 Bentley Continental GTC Convertible turned off.

Hilton, who was alone in the car at the time, was ticketed her for the driving indiscretion. Officers then realized that her license was suspended, impounded her $190,000 ride and referred her case to the city attorney.

Hilton publicist Elliot Mintz claimed she was unaware of the specific term of her probation that prohibited her from driving. But that was challenged by city attorney spokesman Nick Velasquez.

"We are confident that we have sufficient evidence to prove that her license was suspended and that she had knowledge of it at the time," he told E! Online last month.

Velasquez indicated the suspension was part of the sentence Hilton received Jan. 22 for her no contest plea to a Sept. 7 reckless-driving count. She was also placed on 36 months' probation, fined nearly $1,500 and ordered to attend an alcohol-education course.