The 25-year-old heiress was formally charged with two misdemeanor counts: driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood-alcohol level above California's legal limit, according to Los Angeles City Attorney's spokesperson Frank Mateljan.

    Hilton faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of 1,000 U.S. dollars, though first-time offenders are often given probation and required to attend alcohol counseling, Mateljan said.

    An initial court appearance was set for this Thursday but Hilton is not required to attend this.

    Hilton was pulled over on Sept. 7 after police officers noticed her Mercedes moving erratically and taken into custody after failing a sobriety test.

    Later that morning, Hilton called in to a radio show on L.A.'s KIIS FM and denied she was drunken driving. She said she had been to a charity party after a long day shooting a music video and had just one drink.

    "I had one margarita (and) was starving because I had not eaten all day," she said. "Maybe I was speeding a little bit and I got pulled over. I was just really hungry and I wanted to have an In-N-Out Burger.

    "Everything I do is blown out of proportion." Enditem

    (Agencies)