Courtney Love was ordered back to rehab for six months at her sentencing hearing Friday (September 16).

After sending her away for 28 days this past month, a Los Angeles judge decided the singer required even more time in a residential treatment facility, which she won't be allowed to leave, as punishment for having violated her probation (see [article id="1507991"]"Teary-Eyed Courtney Love Ordered Back To Rehab By Judge"[/article]). It was either that, or jail, the Los Angeles district attorney's office said.

Love violated her probation when a drug-related incident sent her to the hospital on July 21 (see [article id="1506147"]"Courtney Love Rushed To Los Angeles Hospital"[/article]). Judge Rand Rubin told her that he had been planning to send her to jail but decided that treatment would be a better option.

Love's probation violation stems from three cases, two of which she struck plea agreements for just seven months ago (see [article id="1506147"]"Courtney Resolves Assault, Possession Cases With Plea Deal"[/article]). The cases involved charges of assault with a deadly weapon (which was reduced to misdemeanor assault with three years of probation), two felony counts of illegal possession of prescription painkillers (which was reduced to one misdemeanor count of possession of a forged or altered narcotic prescription with more probation), and being under the influence of those same prescription painkillers (for which she received a sentence of 18 months of drug treatment a year ago).

Love's recent 28-day stint in rehab will count toward this six-month sentence, but her probation is also now being extended to March 15, 2007.

The singer/actress is due back in court for a progress report on November 18.