DUI Blogger

To understand the consequences of violating misdemeanor probation in California, just look at the Lindsay Lohan case.

Today the actress was sentenced to 30 days in county jail for failing to fulfill probation conditions imposed in connection with her conviction for misdemeanor grand theft.

When someone is placed on misdemeanor probation in California, it means the judge lets that person serve his or her sentence out of custody so long as that person complies with all of the probation conditions imposed by the judge.

Common probation conditions include performing community service, attending counseling and complying with all laws. People on misdemeanor probation in California have to report back to the judge as instructed to give the judge updates on their progress (called “progress reports”). If probationers violate their probation conditions, the judge can send them to jail.

Today’s progress report at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse did not go well for Lindsay Lohan. After admitting that she failed to fulfill probation conditions involving volunteering at a downtown Los Angeles women’s center and attending therapy, the judge gave her a wake-up call of 30 days in county jail.

When she gets out, Lohan will get another chance. But if she doesn’t want to get her probation revoked altogether (which means she’ll have to serve out the remainder of her grand theft sentence in jail), Lohan will need to fulfill her community service hours as and when directed by the judge and go to the required therapy sessions.

A Beverly Hills Judge sentenced actress Lindsay Lohan to serve 90 days in a county jail and a consecutive 90 days at an inpatient drug/alcohol treatment center for a probation violation. This probation violation stems from a 2007 conviction for being under the influence of cocaine, DUI, and reckless driving.

The judge imposed this punishment because she believed that the actress violated the terms and conditions of her California probation sentence when she didn’t attend her regularly scheduled alcohol classes, missed a May court date, repeatedly “lied” to the court, and “didn’t take her case seriously”.

Lohan made a tearful plea in court, stating that she believed she was in compliance with her probation because she had received permission to miss and reschedule many of those classes due to her “on location” work as an actress. The judge had specifically called the alcohol program, instructing the administration that Lohan was to attend weekly meetings.

Lohan had already been granted a one-year probation extension because she wasn’t able to complete her alcohol education classes during the initial three-year probation period.

She is set to surrender to the Lynwood county jail on July 20 where she will likely serve less than one-quarter of her sentence due to jail overcrowding and “good-time” credits.