Lindsay Lohan sent back to rehab until Jan. 3 -- no jail

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Lindsay Lohan avoided jail and was sent back to the Betty Ford Center by Judge Elden Fox on Friday in Beverly Hills as a consequence of violating probation with two dirty drug tests in September, L.A. Now reports.

‘You’re staying there past the New Year, and there is a reason for that,’ Fox said. ‘I’m not going to be manipulated.

‘If you can make it to Feb. 25, I’m going to convert this case to unsupervised probation,’ Fox continued, according to Access Hollywood. ‘Hopefully, you’ll put this long episode behind you.’

The actress must stay in rehab until Jan. 3 and her SCRAM bracelet will come off, but she’ll still face random drug and alcohol testing, TMZ reports. Fox had said he’d send Lohan to jail for 30 days in the event of a probation violation, but was convinced by the center’s report and a handwritten letter from Lohan that a return to rehab was the better move.

Lohan cried and said ‘thank you,’ according to TMZ.

With attorney Shawn Chapman Holley, Lohan showed up about half an hour early for her 8:30 a.m. hearing at Beverly Hills Courthouse, breaking a habit she’s displayed over the years of slipping in by the skin of her teeth, and even showing up late for the July 20 hearing where she was sent to jail.

The starlet’s parents Michael Lohan and Dina Lohan were both in court, though on opposite sides of the room. Michael is under a restraining order requiring him to stay away from his ex-wife.

The ‘Mean Girls’ actress voluntarily entered rehab in late September at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage and remained there until 4 a.m. Friday.

Despite an alleged attack Thursday night outside his Santa Monica home, Lohan’s estranged daddy Michael was spotted in the crowd outside. Typically, a statement to the media has followed such an appearance, but this week Michael made a statement that he was done making statements about his daughter.

-- Christie D’Zurilla

‘You’re staying there passed the new year and there is a
reason for that.’