Nicole Richie Facing The Real Life

Nicole Richie is still a free woman – for now. Thanks to another delay in her ongoing court case, the female celebrity and on and off again gal pal of Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie was able to travel to incognito on Tuesday to
Canada.

Richie accompanied her boyfriend Joel Madden to Canada where his band Good Charlotte was giving a rock concert, while her attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, was in court arguing in her defense on the same day.

Previously, Ms Holley had filed a declaration signed by Nicole stating she was contesting the authenticity of the drug test results taken at the time of her arrest in December 2006. The request for delaying the trial was based on the absence of their star witness, Dr. Terence McGee, a well-known medical expert who would be out of the country until August 5th. The defense is counting on him to refute the findings of the police reports.

This request, however, has been denied and the court date was set for July 11. We understand that there is a window of starting dates for trials, which means they officially have up to ten days after today to begin.

Meanwhile, the judge may well order Nicole to catch the next flight out, return to L.A., and be ready to appear for sentencing. Will she have to spend time in jail is now the question.

It seems that the law is finally handing out harsher sentences, and being a celebrity hasn’t made a difference. It certainly didn’t for Paris Hilton, Nicole’s co-star on the reality show Simple Life.

Of course, Nicole’s pregnancy is not likely to be a factor as she wouldn’t be the first female to be pregnant and in jail at the same time. She has put up a brave front, telling David Letterman the other night that she is fully prepared to face the consequences, whatever they may be.

If convicted as a repeat offender, Nicole Richie faces a minimum sentence of three years’ probation and up to three months in jail. However, California law does stipulate that if a plea bargain is accepted, then the jail time is dropped to four days.

It is expected today that Richie’s attorney will be appearing in court to accept or reject the current plea bargain offered up by the prosecutor. It’s our guess that Nicole Richie will breathe a sigh of relief and accept the terms of probation, leaving her the time she needs to prepare for the baby’s arrival some time this summer.