Lindsay Lohan scored an legal victory today when her felony grand theft charge was reduced to a misdemeanour - however her celebration was short lived.
Less than an hour after downgrading the offence, Judge Stephanie Sautner then threw the book at the Mean Girls star and sentenced her to a four-month jail term.
The decision came after the judge had heard testimonies against her in the necklace theft case and declared there was sufficient evidence that she had violated her probation, which stems from a 2007 DUI.
The 24-year-old showed little reaction when she was handed down the ruling and was swiftly led away from court by bailiffs.
The actress's lawyer Shawn Chapman said she will appeal the ruling, which will allow the actress to post bail, which was set at $75,000
The judge also ordered Lohan to serve more than 400 hours of community service at a women's centre and the Los Angeles County Morgue.
Earlier, Sautner had downgraded Lohan's grand theft case down to a misdemeanor and after prosecutors gave their case against the actress.
It will be Lohan's fourth jail stint.
Sautner refused to dismiss the theft case against Lohan, but said she often sees more serious cases that get reduced to lesser charges.
'I see the intent here,' Sautner said. 'I see a level of brazenness with "Let me see what I can get away with here.'''
Sautner ruled that prosecutors had shown that Lohan violated her probation, but also said in reducing the charge that she was going to give the actress 'an opportunity.'
Lohan formally entered a not guilty plea at Friday's hearing. She is next due back in court on May 11 for a pre-trial hearing with the trial scheduled for June 3.
Lohan's father Michael Lohan has already spoken out about the sentencing, slamming the courts proceedings.
“I am not very happy,” Michael he told RadarOnline.
'I don’t think her case was handled the right way.'
He said whatever the case, he will support his daughter and be 'there every day to visit her' during her jail stint.
'I still support my daughter,' he said.
Michael was also in attendance at court today and took a front row seat inside the court - where cameras have been banned.
Today the Mean Girls star arrived at the courthouse wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, blue trousers and a scarf.
Lohan's sentencing news came during a dramatic day at the LAX courthouse in Los Angeles, which culminated in Lohan breaking down in tears.
Various witnesses were brought to the stand throughout the day, including the owner of the jewellery store, the store clerk and the investigating officer from the LAPD.
Judge Sautner dismissed the motion to drop the case altogether, according to internet reports.
But it seems Lindsay's lawyer, Shawn Chapman, has managed to persuade the judge that the necklace was worth far less than $2,500.
Under California law, a crime only becomes grand theft if the value of the stolen goods exceeds $950.
During the hearing Chapman had aruged the necklace was worth less than $2,500.
Furthermore Sofia Kaman, the owner of Kamofie & Co. - the Los Angeles jewellery store which Lohan allegedly stole from - admitted the store's mark-up price was two to three times that of the wholesale price.
The district attorney in the case, Jeanette Meyers, has said she will appeal the judges decision to reduce Lohan's charge from a grand theft to a misdemeanour, RadarOnline reports.
Earlier, jewellery store owner Ms Kaman told the court she waited a day before reporting the necklace as stolen because the actress told her she would return later.
Taking to the witness stand she testified at Lohan's preliminary hearing, telling the court it took 10 minutes before she realised the actress had left wearing the necklace.
She said she waited to report the necklace missing to police because Lohan had told her she would return the next day to buy a ring.
Lohan has been accused of taking the necklace in January without permission.
Lohan has been a courthouse fixture since last May when she missed a hearing in her drunken driving case.
sourceLess than an hour after downgrading the offence, Judge Stephanie Sautner then threw the book at the Mean Girls star and sentenced her to a four-month jail term.
The decision came after the judge had heard testimonies against her in the necklace theft case and declared there was sufficient evidence that she had violated her probation, which stems from a 2007 DUI.
The 24-year-old showed little reaction when she was handed down the ruling and was swiftly led away from court by bailiffs.
The actress's lawyer Shawn Chapman said she will appeal the ruling, which will allow the actress to post bail, which was set at $75,000
The judge also ordered Lohan to serve more than 400 hours of community service at a women's centre and the Los Angeles County Morgue.
Earlier, Sautner had downgraded Lohan's grand theft case down to a misdemeanor and after prosecutors gave their case against the actress.
It will be Lohan's fourth jail stint.
Sautner refused to dismiss the theft case against Lohan, but said she often sees more serious cases that get reduced to lesser charges.
'I see the intent here,' Sautner said. 'I see a level of brazenness with "Let me see what I can get away with here.'''
Sautner ruled that prosecutors had shown that Lohan violated her probation, but also said in reducing the charge that she was going to give the actress 'an opportunity.'
Lohan formally entered a not guilty plea at Friday's hearing. She is next due back in court on May 11 for a pre-trial hearing with the trial scheduled for June 3.
Lohan's father Michael Lohan has already spoken out about the sentencing, slamming the courts proceedings.
“I am not very happy,” Michael he told RadarOnline.
'I don’t think her case was handled the right way.'
He said whatever the case, he will support his daughter and be 'there every day to visit her' during her jail stint.
'I still support my daughter,' he said.
Michael was also in attendance at court today and took a front row seat inside the court - where cameras have been banned.
Today the Mean Girls star arrived at the courthouse wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, blue trousers and a scarf.
Lohan's sentencing news came during a dramatic day at the LAX courthouse in Los Angeles, which culminated in Lohan breaking down in tears.
Various witnesses were brought to the stand throughout the day, including the owner of the jewellery store, the store clerk and the investigating officer from the LAPD.
Judge Sautner dismissed the motion to drop the case altogether, according to internet reports.
But it seems Lindsay's lawyer, Shawn Chapman, has managed to persuade the judge that the necklace was worth far less than $2,500.
Under California law, a crime only becomes grand theft if the value of the stolen goods exceeds $950.
During the hearing Chapman had aruged the necklace was worth less than $2,500.
Furthermore Sofia Kaman, the owner of Kamofie & Co. - the Los Angeles jewellery store which Lohan allegedly stole from - admitted the store's mark-up price was two to three times that of the wholesale price.
The district attorney in the case, Jeanette Meyers, has said she will appeal the judges decision to reduce Lohan's charge from a grand theft to a misdemeanour, RadarOnline reports.
Earlier, jewellery store owner Ms Kaman told the court she waited a day before reporting the necklace as stolen because the actress told her she would return later.
Taking to the witness stand she testified at Lohan's preliminary hearing, telling the court it took 10 minutes before she realised the actress had left wearing the necklace.
She said she waited to report the necklace missing to police because Lohan had told her she would return the next day to buy a ring.
Lohan has been accused of taking the necklace in January without permission.
Lohan has been a courthouse fixture since last May when she missed a hearing in her drunken driving case.
