Luann de Lesseps wears handcuffs, soiled dress in court

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Luann de Lesseps, 52, appeared in Palm Beach County Courthouse on Sunday after her arrest earlier that day at a nearby hotel
She is charged with battery on law enforcement officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting an officer with violence and two counts of corruption by threat
She was told to remain silent at one point during the proceedings when she tried to address the issue of a possible drinking problem
'Don’t say anything,' ordered Judge Booras, who also told the reality star she would need a lawyer for the 'serious charges' she is facing
An assistant state’s attorney said that de Lesseps slammed a door and kicked a police officer prior to her arrest, then screamed: 'I am going to kill you all'
'This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being here brought up buried emotions,' said de Lesseps in her apology

Published: 14:02 EDT, 25 December 2017 | Updated: 18:02 EDT, 25 December 2017

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The reality star formerly known as Countess showed no signs of elegance or class while appearing in front of a judge on Sunday in Florida.

Luann de Lesseps arrived at the Palm Beach Courthouse just after 9am that morning, almost eight hours after she was taken into custody and booked following an incident at a local hotel.

The Real Housewives of New York star got no sleep it seemed as she stood in front of the judge with her limp and greasy hair covering her face, make-up smeared and wearing the same soiled dress she had on Saturday night when she first hit the town.

At one point during the proceedings de Lesseps attempted to respond when Judge Ted Booras mentioned she might have a drinking problem, but was quickly told to remain silent.

'Don’t say anything,' ordered Judge Booras, who seemed concerned that de Lesseps might incriminate herself with her response.

News of her arrest was first reported by The Palm Beach Post, while WPVI captured the reality star during her court appearance early Sunday.

Scroll down for video

Worse for the wear: Luann de Lesseps, 52, appeaered in Palm Beach County Courthouse on Sunday (above) after her arrest earlier that day at a nearby hotel

Multiple counts: She is charged with battery on law enforcement officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting an officer with violence and two counts of corruption by threat

Silence: She was told to remain silent at one point during the proceedings when she tried to address the issue of a possible drinking problem

Video courtesy of WPTV

Judge Booras informed de Lesseps that she needed to hire a lawyer for the 'serious charges' she is facing, just before releasing her from custody.

De Lesseps was told she could return to her home in New York because this was her first offense according to the judge, who also allowed her to forego posting any bail and instead released her on her own recognizance.

'I don’t think it would be that hard to find you,' said Judge Booras of the Housewives star, who had been filming the upcoming season of her show just days before in new York City.

De Lesseps, who appeared with a public defender for her court appearance, was arrested in the early morning hours of Sunday following an incident that resulted in her being charged with five counts.

She will be back in court next month to address those charges: battery on a law enforcement officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting an officer with violence and two counts of corruption by threat.

Mugging for the camera: News of her arrest was first reported by The Palm Beach Post

Battery on a law enforcement officer is considered a third-degree felony which is punishable by a maximum of 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

The disorderly intoxication charge is a second-degree misdemeanor which is punishable up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

Resisting an officer with violence is a third-degree felony which could land de Lesseps behind bars for 5 years and forced to pay a $5,000 fine.

This means that de Lesseps could find herself behind bars for more than a decade in the wake of her arrest.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department has not released many details about the incident at this time, but an assistant state’s attorney said in court on Sunday that de Lesseps slammed a door and kicked a police officer prior to her arrest.

People who witnessed the incident also told authorities that de Lesseps at one point screamed: 'I’m going to kill you all.'

Order from the court: 'Don’t say anything,' ordered Judge Booras, who also told the reality star she would need a lawyer for the 'serious charges' she is facing

Mick back: An assistant state’s attorney said that de Lesseps slammed a door and kicked a police officer prior to her arrest, then screamed: 'I am going to kill you all'

Rage-away bride: 'This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being here brought up buried emotions,' said de Lesseps in her apology

A few hours after her court appearance, de Lesseps addressed her arrest on Twitter.

'I want to offer my most sincere apologies to anyone that I might have offended with my behavior,' wrote de Lesseps.

'This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being here brought up buried emotions. I am committed to a transformative and hopeful 2018.'

That 'transformative' 2018 will include at least one more trip to palm Beach for de Lesseps, who is due back in court on January 25, at which point the state with formally file charges in the case.

It almost one year ago to the day that de Lesseps married Tom D'Agostino in Palm Beach, seven years after her divorce from Count Alexandre de Lesseps.

She and the Count have two children, Victoria and Noel, who both appear to have been in France with their father at the time of de Lesseps' arrest.

De Lesseps' marriage to D'Agostino, which her Bravo co-stars all said they thought was doomed from the start, was over by August and the two have since finalized their divorce.

D'Agostino was also in Palm Beach over the weekend with his new girlfriend Anna Rothschild.

It is not clear why de Lesseps was done, but she was seen getting ready to party earlier in the day on Saturday with her friend

Husbands and wife: Luann with Count Alexandre in 2007 (left); with D'Agostino in July (right)

Gang's all here: De Lesseps has been busy filming the upcoming season of Housewives (above with the cast last week)

Kids incorporated: De Lesseps and the Count have two children from their first marriage, Noel and Victoria (above in November)

One source claimed earlier this year that de Lesseps' New Year's Eve nuptials were less about true love and more about an aging divorcee desperate to secure her ever-loosening grip on reality stardom.

A close friend of D'Agostino told DailyMail.com that it was Tom who filed for divorce after growing tired of being cuckolded by his new wife during their brief marriage.

'It has been really difficult for Tom because he did love her,' said his friend.

'But she only married him because she was becoming irrelevant on the show and needed a new story line.'

And as D'Agostino's friend explained, that was still just one of the couple's many problems.

'She cheated, she was unfaithful, she was prone to violent outbursts,' revealed the friend, making their way through a laundry list of accusations.

Those violent outbursts allegedly included de Lesseps biting D'Agostino days before their wedding and leaving him covered in blood when she scratched his cheek at a posh Upper East Side eatery in July.

‘It doesn’t take much for her to punch, bite, slap or scratch him,' noted the friend, who described de Lesseps' behavior as 'bats*** crazy' at times.

Another friend who knows both members of the couple tells DailyMail.com that it was clear from the beginning this romance was made for television.

'Stevie Wonder can see what Luann did here,' jokes the friend of the estranged pair.

'She knew she’d had a very boring season, except for drunkenly falling into the bushes in Mexico, so she needed something to ensure Bravo cast her for another year.'

The friend then added that de Lesseps has been holding on to her position as one of the show's leading ladies with an iron grip ever since she was demoted back in season six.

'She was downgraded a few years back and it nearly killed her being a friend of the Housewives rather than a fully-fledged cast member,' revealed the friend of the couple.

'If she’s filed for divorce before the reunion was filmed in mid-July, she would’ve had to discuss it. So she’s filed now after the reunion, so she’ll have a full season to discuss it next year.'

And while some may find the entire scenario to be a bit uncouth, the friend applauded Luann for her tenacity.

'It’s a very smart move by the nurse from Connecticut. No one hustles better or is more cunning than Luann,' said the friend.

It worked out too, as she is a featured cast member in the upcoming season.