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Amanda Bynes' 28th Birthday: A Legal Status Update

By Jenny Tsay, Esq. on April 03, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

It's Amanda Bynes' 28th birthday today, and so far, it seems like her fans' legal wishes have come true: She hasn't made any headlines today for a run-in with the law.

While Bynes has certainly faced a fair share of legal troubles in recent years, it seems like the actress is doing much better now. She's apparently a student at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Southern California, according to E! News.

To show how far Bynes has come as she turns the big 2-8, let's take a look back at her recent legal timeline:

  • April 2012: Bynes was arrested in West Hollywood for an alleged DUI after she attempted to pass a cop car. To make matters worse, she actually hit the police cruiser when trying to get around it. When the cop went to write a ticket, she fled the scene.
  • June 2012: After Bynes' DUI arrest in April turned into a DUI charge, she (perhaps sarcastically) turned to President Barack Obama to help her out. She tweeted at the president, asking him to fire the cop who arrested her. She also told President Obama that "I don't drink" and "I don't hit and run." Alas, while the president has several enumerated powers, they won't help her get out of a DUI in California.
  • September 2012: Contrary to what she tweeted at the president, Bynes was indeed charged with two criminal counts of hit-and-run. The first one occurred when she tried to pass the cop car in April; the second one happened when she allegedly sideswiped another vehicle on a separate occasion. Bynes claims she didn't feel it, so she didn't stop. But six cop cars and a helicopter were summoned to pull her over after the other driver reported the hit.
  • May 2013: Things for Bynes didn't improve in 2013. She was arrested for reckless endangerment, felony tampering with evidence, and criminal possession of marijuana. Police were called to Bynes' New York City apartment after reports that it reeked of weed. In an effort to evade the cops, Bynes allegedly grabbed her bong and threw it out the window.
  • July 2013: The actress was placed on a "5150 hold," which allows a person to be hospitalized for 72 hours for a mental evaluation if she's judged to be a danger to herself or others. The 5150 hold occurred after Bynes allegedly set fire to an elderly woman's driveway.
  • November 2013: Although Bynes was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, a Los Angeles judge found her mentally competent to stand trial in her DUI case.
  • February 2014: Earlier this year, Bynes agreed to a plea deal that includes three years of probation, an alcohol-education course, and a fine, according to CNN. In exchange, she pleaded guilty to a reckless driving charge.

So happy birthday, Amanda Bynes! While the past two years were rough, things are starting to look up. Here's to better times ahead -- and here's hoping we never see you in FindLaw's Celebrity Justice blog again!

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