BREAKING NEWS - Lindsay Lohan Avoids Jail Time, Judge Fox Sends Her Back To Rehab

Lindsay Lohan appeared before Judge Elden Fox at the Beverly Hills Courthouse this morning for her latest probation violation hearing, and it appears as though spending the last month at the Betty Ford Center helped convince the judge to send her right back to rehab rather than jail.

Lindsay will stay at Betty Ford in Rancho Mirage, California until January 3, 2011, where she has been since September 28. Everyone in court laughed when Judge Fox revealed that he set the date for January 3 because he doesn't want Lindsay out partying on New Year's Eve, and her next court date is scheduled for February 25, 2011.

The District Attorney wanted to send Lindsay to jail for 180 days, noting that she's been working on this case since the beginning, and she felt as though the actress "didn't get it" and incarceration was "necessary." However, it looks like Lindsay and her attorney Shawn Chapman Holley were able to make pretty convincing arguments as to why rehab is a better solution for her. Lindsay, who was also accompanied by a woman from Betty Ford, gave Judge Fox a handwritten letter, which was reviewed before proceedings began, and Judge Fox looked over her reports and medical records from the rehabilitation facility as well.

Holley made her case and told Judge Fox rehab is a very important part of Lindsay's recovery, and though he has been strict with Lindsay in the past, he told the court, "I'm new to the rodeo ... there's nothing better than a trainwreck for the media ... everyone's been covering it, but I will not be manipulated by media or by public opinion." Judge Fox added, "You are an addict, you have to change your life and then the future is yours."

Judge Fox was very firm when he told Lindsay she has to stay clean and sober, and she will undergo random drug testing from January 3 to February 25, 2011. If Lindsay follows the rules, she'll get unsupervised probation, and Judge Fox said, "This long episode will be behind her." Lindsay pleaded guilty to the probation violation, and when Judge Fox gave her the sentence, she started crying and thanked him. Dina was praying and she crossed herself after the decision was announced, and a jubilant Michael Lohan yelled out, "Thank you, your honor!"

The last time Lindsay met with Judge Fox on September 24, he put her in jail for violating her probation (she failed at least one court mandated drug test), but shortly after she started serving her 30-day sentence at the Lynwood Correctional Facility, Judge Patricia Schnegg threw out Fox's ruling, set bail to $300,000 and Lohan was set free.

A mini-van from Betty Ford is waiting for Lindsay right now in front of the courthouse, and she will return straight to rehab as soon as she walks out the door, which will be any minute now. Lindsay's SCRAM bracelet has been removed, and she had to turn over her cell phone and all other electronics in court.

UPDATE
9:53 am PST: Lindsay Lohan has just left the courtroom flanked by representatives from Betty Ford: