March 10, 2011, Airport Courthouse, Los Angeles, CA. Lindsay Lohan was back in court today in what everyone hoped would be some resolution on whether Lohan would be tried for grand theft and violation of her probation. My dear friend and legal expert, Mitra Ahouraian, Esq. was in the courtroom and has every detail of the scoop for you!

What was on the table was a deal the judge had offered Lohan in confidence back in February—one that would involve jail time, should Lohan decide to take it. 

What the dozens of cameramen and news vans outside did not know was that the judge had met with Lindsay’s attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, and the D.A. yesterday in chambers, where Holley had asked for a continuance of the hearing.  Judge Keith Schwartz partially denied the motion for a continuance today, and made the following ruling:

  1)      Lohan would have until March 23^rd to decide whether to take the settlement offer in the grand theft case.  Ms. Holley will notify the court on March 23 whether Lohan will be accepting the offer, in which case Lohan will have to appear in court on March 25^th.  If Lohan decides not to accept the settlement offer, then Judge Schwartz explained, she will not have to appear at the March 25^th hearing date, and that date will be set aside.

2)      A preliminary hearing date for the grand theft case was set for April 22^nd, 2011 before Judge Sautner.  Two important things will happen at this hearing: First, Judge Sautner will decide whether there is sufficient cause (i.e., enough evidence) to go to trial on the grand theft case, where Lohan is accused of stealing the $2,500 necklace.  The second thing that will happen is the judge will rule on whether Lohan violated her probation on her prior drug case.

So, it looks like Lohan has some thinking to do, and has a couple weeks more time to do it.  She has to decide whether to take a plea bargain that Judge Schwartz has already indicated will involve some jail time….or take her chances at the April 22^nd hearing in front of Judge Sautner, where, if she is found to have violated her probation, bail will be remanded and she will be probably be taken to jail anyway.  Either way…Lilo will likely go to jail, following in the footsteps of Paris Hilton and many before her.  The only question is, for how long, and on what charges? 

Chapman-Holley is likely using this additional time to strategize and determine Lohan’s chances of success at the April 22^nd hearing—which may look better now that the store where Lohan allegedly stole the necklace from is rumored to have sold their story for $25,000.  Selling the story undoubtedly calls into question the credibility of the store’s accusations, and weakens the D.A.’s case significantly.

The morning didn’t start off well for Lohan.  While dozens of news vans and camera men anxiously awaited Linday’s arrival, Judge Keith Schwartz asked Lindsay’s lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, where her client was. Lohan finally arrived over half an hour late. Surprisingly, Judge Schwartz did not admonish her for her tardiness.

Legally speaking, not much happened today, and unfortunately, we won’t know more until March 25^th, when Lohan may or may not show up before Judge Schwartz to accept the settlement offer. Judge Schwartz did spend 2-3 minutes of what was a very short hearing today, commenting on the confidentiality of the case, and sarcastically commending reporters like TMZ for their CIA-like skills in obtaining confidential information pertaining to the case—including the terms of the settlement offer.  It is likely that any future documents will be filed under seal and inaccessible to the public.

Lohan appeared wearing a tight-fitting cream dress, similar to the white ensemble she was criticized for wearing to the last hearing.  This time, she did have the sense to wear black tights underneath, showing less skin but still not quite grasping the concept of conservatism.