Update!

Judge to Lindsay: You Can't Handle the Truancy!

Lohan's probation extended one year after star granted temporary leave of absence from alcohol-education program

By Gina Serpe, Whitney English Oct 16, 2009 7:04 PMTags
Lindsay LohanAP Photo/Nick Ut

Lindsay Lohan has one more chance—and one more year—to get herself in order.

After being ominously summoned (and, in true Lindsay style, arriving more than an hour late after a night of clubbing) to her progress hearing this morning, the judge agreed to extend the star's probation by 12 months to allow her adequite adequate time to complete her court-ordered alcohol education program, one of the remaining outstanding holdouts from her 2007 DUI bust.

But not without first issuing a few scared-straight-style warnings.

While Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel said in court that she was "rooting" for Lohan to successfully complete her probation, she made clear that any future slip-ups would be tolerated.

"I'm going to know about it," said Revel, "because your whole life is followed."

The judge said that Lohan must get court approval for any leave of absence of more than 21 days.

"If you don't do that, the deputy district attorney will be asking for jail time," said Revel, who then made sure that Lohan understood any time off must be work-related and "not to go shopping...not to go vacationing."

So far, Lohan has completed just 15 of 26 required individual classes, 13 of 26 group sessions and 13 of 28 self-help classes. On the plus side, she has wrapped up all six of her alcohol-education courses.

The probation extension came as Lohan's attorney detailed the star's upcoming jam-packed schedule, for which she requested a leave of absence from the program, her second since the start of her probation.

Lohan's latest legal problem started earlier this year, when she requested and was granted a leave of absence from her court-ordered alcohol education program in order to travel for work. (Those vicious fashion reviews weren't gonna write themselves, people.)

Unfortunately, Linds got sidetracked with all manner of time-consuming endeavors—airing her unrequited love qualms via Twitter, ignoring her father's increasingly self-serving public pleas and sabotaging her sartorial career, among other goings-on—and apparently forgot to contact the program about when she would once again grace the program with her presence (and in doing so abide by the requirements of her probation).

Those in charge of her program grew understandably concerned and wrote a letter to Revel, who on Wednesday ordered Lohan to show up for today's progress report and explain herself.

Of course, Lohan knew better than to go into the courtroom without at least some ammunition banked: Coincidentally enough, just yesterday, in full view of paparazzi cameras, she re-enrolled in the program.

Lohan's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, explained away Lohan's recent absence from the program, saying she has been busy filming a movie in Texas, working on a documentary about child trafficking in India for the BBC, promoting (but really defending) her Ungaro clothing line, and recording an album.

In the interest of full disclosure, she also detailed Lohan's upcoming travel plans for the court, saying the star would be decamping to New York this Sunday for a charity benefit and planned to remain in the Big Apple until the middle of next week. We're sure the paparazzi have already booked their tickets.

Lohan's next progress report will take place Dec. 15.

(Originally published Oct. 16, 2009, at 11:01 a.m. PT)

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