Legal Commentary

Lindsay Lohan's New Lawyer Bows Out

By Jeralyn

Lindsay Lohan has been lawyer shopping since her attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, said she's done. The Judge reportedly told Shawn she can't withdraw until Lindsay gets a new lawyer.

This morning's news said Stuart Goldberg of Chicago had taken the case. Now, Goldberg has bowed out, giving this interview to People.

"My impression of Lindsay is that she's a fragile lost child – a sleeping beauty with her head in the sand. I found her not fully forewarned of the consequence of her actions," Stuart V. Goldberg, who was contacted by Lohan after her attorney resigned, tells PEOPLE.

"I'm concerned that she's not disciplined or tethered enough to the reality of adult consequences," he says. "She doesn't seem to have the awareness of what's going to befall her."

Goldberg makes a good point about her having multiple legal problems: one is the imminent jail sentence, the other is how is she going to get through a lengthier period of probation afterwards?

"My real worry for her is not just the jail time," adds Goldberg, "but my fear is that she's overly susceptible to a probation system that's set up for her to fail."

What's next for Lindsay? Goldberg said he recommended she hire Robert Shapiro.

What options are left between now and July 20 when Lindsay is supposed to report to jail? A mental health crisis and intervention, requiring an extended inpatient commitment? Would the judge be inclined to delay execution of the sentence if she were committed to a mental facility (not just a drug facility) if she is an imminent threat to herself? I haven't seen any reports of suicide threats, but I won't be surprised if that's next.

Also, what about medical opinions on the effect of immediate withdrawal from the panapoly of medications she is taking? I can't imagine the jail will give her adderall and ambien, to name a few. Maybe she needs to be weaned off them before she can safely do a jail sentence.

For some reason, I don't get all the attention being paid to Lohan's case. Paris Hilton's case was much more interesting to me, probably because I thought she was being treated unfairly. There's nothing particularly unique about Lohan or her circumstances -- although I question why she pleaded guilty to the charges that got her put on probation in the first place. Even then, someone should have realized she'd never make it through without violations.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on July 12, 2010 (boomark / email).