Mel Gibson Pleads No Contest To Battery Charge, Placed On Probation

Mel Gibson plead no contest today to a charge of misdemeanor battery, and though the actor is avoiding jail time, he has several fines and a long list of requirements he must obey to stay in compliance with his probation.

Judge Stephanie Sautner informed Mel that he is on informal probation for 36 months, and he must perform 16 hours of community service with Mending Kids International, and he is required to enroll in a 52-week domestic violence counseling program within the next 21 days. Mel must provide proof of enrollment and a progress report to the court by June 9, 2011, and he has until March 30, 2012 to complete the course.

Mel is also required to complete a 52-week counseling program, but the judge is allowing the actor to satisfy this part of the agreement with the private counselor he's been seeing since January. As a part of his probation, Mel must not threaten or use violence towards anyone, and he's prohibited from "annoying, harassing or molesting" anyone involved with the case.

Mel will be served with a protective order today, and he also has to pay several fines by the June 9 follow up date, including a $400 domestic violence fine, a $100 restitution fine, a $40 court security fee and a $30 criminal conviction fine.

Mel has the next week to report for booking at police agency and mail the court proof, and as long as he complies with the protective order and the terms of his probation, he's in the clear. The actor stated that he had a "good grasp" of all the terms of his plea deal.

The charge stems from ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva's accusations that Gibson allegedly threatened her with a gun and punched her at his Malibu home. Grigorieva (who was referred to as "the complaining witness") waived her appearance today in court.