Nicole Richie won't answer charges of driving under the influence until next month (Aug07) after a Los Angeles court approved her request to delay the start of her trial. The socialite was stopped by police in December last year (06) allegedly driving the wrong way down a California highway. She admitted having taken marijuana and Vicodin before the incident - but reports suggest she plans to challenge the drug test conducted on her when she was arrested.A declaration filed by her lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley in court on Tuesday (10Jul07) appealed for the trial be postponed because an expert defence witness would be out of the country and unavailable to testify until the beginning of next month.Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Steven Lubell granted the request on Wednesday (11Jul07), although Richie didn't attend the hearing.Her trial will begin on 16 August (07). If convicted, Richie faces a minimum sentence of five days in jail and could potentially serve up to a year behind bars due to a prior DUI conviction. She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment hearing in February.

She was arrested in February 2003 and was charged with possession of heroin as well as driving with a suspended driving license.

But it's the reality star's dramatic weight loss that has been at the centre of much media speculation. And in September last year Richie admitted to an eating disorder but denied she suffered from Bulimia or Anorexia.

She has recently announced her pregnancy with Joel Madden's child.

Tagged in