Lindsay Lohan appeared in court Wednesday for misdemeanor charges and her lawyer has since said that jail time for the actress is not the answer to her problems, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Lohan's new attorney Mark Heller - who replaced Shawn Holley to represent the 26-year-old in Los Angeles court this week- said he does not think jail time is an appropriate form of punishment for the charges against Lohan.

Santa Monica prosecutors alleged that the "Liz & Dick" star lied to an officer when she said she was not driving her car when it rear-ended a truck, was involved in reckless driving and obstructing an officer from doing his duty.

"Justice has to be tempered with mercy," Heller said. "Even mean-spirited people should want to see an alternative used to jail."

Heller already represents Lohan in two arrests and said Wednesday to reporters that he would be reviewing new evidence in the case. He added that he already spoke with Santa Monica prosecutors and the Los Angeles city attorney who prosecuted a shoplifting conviction for Lohan in the past.

"Her life has been under a magnifying glass with a great public interest in her case," Heller said. "I am very proud to be a part of this process to make sure justice is served."

Lohan and her lawyer originally submitted paperwork stating that the actress was sick and could not attend the court hearing, according to Us Weekly. However, Lohan flew out of John F. Kennedy International Airport Tuesday night to arrive in California for her court appearance, fearing that judge would not excuse her from failing to show up.

Judge Stephanie Sautner released Lohan from supervised probation but told her to stop partying excessively and to act more mature.

"You need to live your life in a more mature way, stop the nightclubbing and focus on your work," Judge Sautner said.

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