Sheriff & Judge

THIS IS NOT the first time that Lee Baca, the sheriff who opened the jail door for Paris Hilton, has had his judgment questioned.

He's been accused of using his authority to benefit friends and supporters. Since taking office he's accepted thousands of dollars worth of freebie meals, sports tickets and trips.

Now Baca is facing accusations of favoritism after making the decision that allowed Hilton to leave jail Thursday to serve out her sentence at her West Hollywood home.

The judge who sent Hilton to jail is known for his even-keeled demeanor and fairness as he handles more than 100 cases a day, mostly drunken driving cases involving non-celebrities. Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer has been a judge for 35 years. Earlier, as a lawyer in the city attorney's office, he argued two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sauer, 69, graduated from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 1962. He was appointed to the bench in 1972 by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan. *

- Associated Press