Celebrity Legal Battles: Lohan Out on Bail, Sheen Avoids Jail Time & Hilton on Probation Again

In 2010, celebrities in trouble with the law may have definitely escalated. How fair is the treatment that they are for their criminal act or probation violations remains up for debate? The year started out with Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen coming off a brief stay at the Colorado County Jail over the Christmas 2009 holiday. Getting into trouble with the law is no stranger to Sheen. Sheen has seen his fair share of courtrooms both criminal and civil over the decades. From multiple divorces to drugs charges, Sheen has been in trouble with the law off and on decades.

Just when life looked to have settled in the right direction for Sheen, his new wife Brooke Mueller and their newly born twin boys, December 2009 an entirely different story unfolded in the media. Sheen was charged with domestic violence and released on bail. Both reportedly entered into rehabilitation facilities, Sheen for drug abuse and Mueller for undisclosed treatment care. The odds were stalked very much in favor of Sheen doing jail time when he was charged with abusing his wife at their Colorado home. Fearing he would receive as much as 30 days jail time, Sheen's lawyers struck a deal allowing the 'Two and a Half Men' star to evade jail time and enter a rehabilitation center for 30 days.

Like Sheen, Paris Hilton too has had numerous run-ins with the wrong side of the law. The first time her party girl days caught up with her landing her on the wrong side of the law was in 2007. Hilton was sentence to serve jail time and was incarcerated on Jun 5 for parole violation. Hilton's sentencing included 45 days in jail due to an alcohol related reckless driving violation of the terms of her probation. Years after her most high profiled legal woes disappeared, Hilton was arrested for cocaine possession in Las Vegas in August 2010. Her SUV was pulled over by Las Vegas Police after they noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. She was later charged with suspicion of possession of cocaine. After an initial attempt to deny possession of the drug, a deal was struck allowing Hilton pled guilty of possession and obstructing the police investigation on September 2010.

The deal reduce the felony offense to a misdemeanor charge of possession of cocaine and obstruction with one year probation, $2000 fine and 200 hours of community. A one year jail sentence would be ordered if Hilton violated the conditions of the deal during her year long probation. According to TMZ sources, Hilton say that she is "over being a party girl" and ready to "finally grow up." Days following the realty of the drugs conviction hit home when Japanese Immigration denied Hilton entry into Japan for a business tour. Hilton tweeted on her way back to Los Angeles, "So disappointed to miss my fans in Asia. I promise to come back soon. I love you all!"

The world was not entirely shocked when arrest warrants were issued for the trouble Hollywood Lindsay Lohan. They were shocked to discover that in spite of passed drugs tests the 24-year actress had been order to jail. After a high publicized court appear in May 2010, the judge in her case order actress to 90 days jail sentence for failure to attend her court order helps classes. Lohan sentence 14 days of her 90 day sentence in jail then was whisked away to the rehabilitation facilitate as part of harsh the sentencing had to her for missing the court ordered classes. Many questioned the fairness of the harsh sentencing in light of the actress passing her drugs testing with flying colors.

How fair is celebrity justice and should more of less be done to ensure future fairness prevails?

http://www.popeater.com/celebrities/lindsay-lohan/

http://www.popeater.com/2010/08/02/breaking-charlie-sheen-avoids-jail-will-go-to-rehab-instead/

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/18472845