Paris Hilton Avoids Jail by Pleading Guilty to Cocaine Possession Charge

Paris Hilton appeared at a Las Vegas court this morning to face a judge after her arrest last month for possession of cocaine. As rumoured, she worked out a plea deal to avoid having to serve jail time—Paris pleaded guilty to the charges and will now have to serve 200 hours of community service and pay a US$2,000 fine. She was also sentenced to one year of probation and was warned that any violation could result in time behind bars. Paris' latest legal ordeal was apparently a sobering event for her, and friends say now that she's ready to leave the club scene behind and focus more on building her businesses.