Steve Levine headed Paris Hilton's appellate team and argued before Judge Sauer that Paris Hilton should not have to return to jail after she was released on electronic monitoring.

Paris Hilton's original DUI charges alleging that on September 27, 2006 she was driving under the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and a drug. In January 2007 she subsequently pleaded no contest to reckless driving charges stemming from the incident. A judge sentenced her to 3 years of probation, mandatory attendance at an alcohol education program, and fines of $1,500.

On May 4, 2007, Judge Sauer sentenced Paris to 45 days in jail for violating the terms of her probation. According to prosecutors, she failed to enroll in an alcohol education course by mid-April 2007, and she was stopped for two more traffic violations, including driving with a suspended license. After she was released by the Sheriff's Department and placed on electronic monitoring prior to the completion of her sentence, the City Attorney petitioned Judge Sauer to put her back in jail. The Sheriff's Department picked her up and took her to court, for all the world to see. Steve Levine wrote and argued the motion before Judge Sauer, explaining that he had no authority to put her back in jail as only the Sheriff's Department had that authority.