Joe Francis -- Free to Roam, Again

As easy as it is to talk a drunk 18-year-old out of her tank top -- Joe Francis has just been sprung from house arrest.

A Federal Court in L.A today released Joey boy from casa lockdown in his tax evasion case.

Joe had been in the doghouse after being 5 hours late for a hearing last week. Joe said he was too sick to make the trek to court.

The judge didn't buy it and placed him on house arrest -- until the doc came in today and backed up Joe's story.