Nicole Richie granted restraining order against paparazzi

Nicole Richie has been granted a three year restraining order against two paparazzi that seemed to deliberately rear end her car in early October. Both Richie and her longterm partner, Joel Madden, testified in a hearing yesterday, with the judge granting Richie's request for the restraining order. The two photographers, who Nicole says 'harass and stalk' her 'daily,' must stay 50 feet away at all times. One of them apologized to Richie, and they both denied that that they'd been on her property, as Richie stated in her testimony. People Magazine is focusing their report on a lawyer mistakenly calling Joel Madden Richie's 'husband' in a question where he asked her if she called her 'husband' after the accident. Richie didn't correct him, so given the rumors that she's secretly married to Madden this is some kind of big deal:

Maybe it was nerves. Or maybe it just wasn't the time to issue a clarification.

But in court Monday, Nicole Richie's lawyer Mark Geragos referred to Joel Madden as her husband and Richie didn't correct him. The pair have been together for years and have two children.

The marital reference came up during her 15 minutes of testimony at a hearing in which a judge issued a restraining order against two aggressive paparazzi.

Richie, 28, wearing black slacks, a black-and-white blouse and her hair in a bun, stated on the witness stand she was 'crying hysterically and scared' last month after she was rear-ended by the two photographers, who she says 'stalk and harass' her daily.

'Did you call your husband?' asked Geragos.

'Yes,' Richie said.

Madden also testified, telling L.A. Superior Court Judge Carol Boas Goodson that Richie 'is terrified' that the photographers might cause another accident involving their children, Harlow, 22 months, and Sparrow, 9 weeks, whom she's with '24/7,' he said.

The photographers, Ivon Miguel and Eduardo Arrivabene, attended the hearing and denied that they ever trespassed on Richie's property, which she alleged. At one point, Miguel stated to Richie, 'I want to apologize for the accident. You don't have to worry about us. I come from a good family.'

But the judge ordered the men to stay 50 yards away from Richie and her two children until 2012.

[From People]

TMZ is reporting that these two aren't married and it's just a matter of the lawyer misspeaking. In all seriousness, it's a good thing that Richie has some protection against these paparazzi that were bothering her. The accident could have been much worse. She has two very young kids she's responsible for and she doesn't need the stress of worrying about their safety. As we've mentioned before, a tough new anti-paparazzi law will go into effect in California in January. It will make it a crime to 'take and sell unauthorized photos of celebrities in 'personal or familial activity.'' I love to see pictures of celebrities out with their cute kids, but if it comes at the expense of their well being it's not worth it. This law should hopefully help avoid future accidents like the one that Richie suffered.