Judge to Lindsay Lohan: "Don't Push Your Luck"

Actress Lindsay Lohan, who's been in and out of trouble with the law for several years now, faces her most serious legal challenge yet - a charge of felony grand theft - that could land her in jail for up to 3½ years if she's convicted.

According to TMZ.com and mtv.com published reports, Lindsay Lohan appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on February 9, 2011, before Judge Keith Schwartz, to enter a plea on a charge that she allegedly shoplifted a $2,500 necklace from a jewelry store in Venice, California on January 22, 2011. Lohan, accompanied by her attorney Shawn Chapman Holley, entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

Judge Schwartz set Lohan's bail at $20,000 for the one criminal count of grand theft. At the same time, Schwartz revoked Lohan's probation from a previous misdemeanor conviction and set an additional $20,000 bail for that case. Later that day, Lohan posted the $40,000 and was released from custody.

During the hearing, Judge Schwartz addressed the troubled celebrity directly and sternly warned her that future violations of the law will have severe consequences for her.

"You're in a different situation now that a felony has been filed against you," Schwartz told Lohan. " "If you violate the law, I will remand you and set no bail.... A felony is a different situation and you're not entitled to bail. You need to follow the laws just like everybody else,"

Schwartz then added: "Please, don't push your luck. I'm telling you, things will be different."

You can view a TMZ.com video of Lohan's February 9, 2011 court appearance here.

Lindsay Lohan's latest legal woes come three weeks after the pricey necklace disappeared from Kamofie & Co., an exclusive jewelry store in Venice, California. According to multiple published reports, Lohan visited the store on January 22, at which time she tried on the yellow diamond necklace, designed by Pratima Sethi, along with several other high priced items, including a ring valued at $3,600. After Lohan left the store, the necklace was discovered missing and a report was made to the police. Lohan was later seen and photographed in public wearing a necklace identical to the one reported missing.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) investigated the case and reported its findings to the District Attorney's office during the first week of February. Lohan surrendered to police and was immediately booked on one count of felony grand theft.

Although the circumstantial evidence against Lohan seems pretty ironclad on the surface, the case may not be as strong as it appears. Lohan's attorney has already raised questions about inconsistent statements in the jewelry store owner's report filed with the LAPD. A nydailynews.com story, says that the owner had alleged that Lohan had been in the store looking at the necklace at least three times prior to January 22, but then later changed her story, saying that Lohan had been looking at rings during her previous visits.

According to the nydailynews.com and TMZ.com reports, the owner also stated that surveillance videos showed Lohan putting the necklace into her bag rather than walking out of the store with it around her neck, and that when she (the store owner) noticed the necklace missing, she initially figured Lohan took it "by mistake," and would bring it back the next day. But Lohan never returned.

Lindsay Lohan is due back in court on February 23, 2011.

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