Nicole Richie's arrest on Monday for driving while drugged out could have serious repercussions for the pill-popping stoner.

As our friend at Cops Online explain:

A judge would be forced to sentence Richie to jail if convicted on this charge because Nicole's recent arrest is actually her second DUI.

In 2002, she pleaded no contest to Driving Under the Influence.

And, per California state law, a judge must impose a mandatory sentence of five consecutive days in county jail as well as a one year license suspension for anyone twice-convicted of DUI.

Additionally, Nicole would be ordered to attend an alcohol eduction program for a year-and-a-half, even if the second conviction is not alcohol-related.

Richie was given three years probation for her 2002 DUI conviction and had her license suspended for one year. Six months after that incident, she was arrested again - this time for possession of heroin and for driving with a suspended license.

Wow.

If only they were filming The Simple Life now. This would be great television!

Update:

In October 2002, Nicole was arrested at NYC club Bungalow for an assault charge (which was later dropped).

Richie revealed to Vanity Fair this year that before her second stint in rehab for heroin addiction, she had gotten into five car accidents. "Two were totals," she said.

Also, Us Weekly reports that the week prior to her December 11th arrest, Nicole went out partying six out of seven nights. And, on December 9th witnesses saw her on a particularly wild night at Hyde lounge, where bottle after bottle of alcohol was brought to her table and she "drank and drank" all night long.

not first!!! probably 14 by now, poor nicole, somehow i think it would be in her best interest to do some jailtime, it would waken her up to the realities of her current bad judgement and hopefully would send some sort of wave through young hollywood that you know what there is a line you can cross from which your celebrity wont be able to protect you. but thats being hopefuly, unfortunaetly the case will be that she wont do any time, and if she does, freaking 5 days!!!! somehow i think if it was a ordinary person it be 5 months, either way even if it isnt the case, 5 days is still to small a time for driving wrecklessly, she could have killed someone or worse yet damage her soon to be 2 year old car, image is everything in hollywood

Five whole days in jail?

You have to get like, forty DUIs before they pull that shit on you in Wisconsin.

in long island , 2 dwi and you get 3 months!

I actually don't know how many DUIs you need to get to go to jail in Wisconsin...I think it kind of varies. But I like to point out that Wisconsin in an alcoholic's paradise whenever I can. BECAUSE it's true.