In March 2012, Bynes was stopped and ticketed by police for talking on a cell phone while driving.
A month later, she was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after side-swiping a police car in West Hollywood.
On September 4, 2012, Bynes was charged for two alleged hit and run
incidents, one occurring in April and the other in August.
The hit and run charges were dismissed in December 2012 following a financial settlement between Bynes and the victims.
Bynes' driver's license was suspended on September 6, 2012, by the California Departments of Motor Vehicles. On September 16, Bynes was cited for driving with a suspended license, and her car was impounded.
In May 2013, Bynes pleaded no contest
to the charge, and was sentenced to three years probation.
As of July 2013 the charge for driving under the influence was still pending.
On May 23, 2013, Bynes was arrested at her home in Manhattan for criminal possession of marijuana
, attempted tampering with evidence, and
According to a prosecutor at Bynes' arraignment, police observed Bynes throwing a bong from the window of her 36th-floor apartment. Bynes claimed that the alleged bong was actually a Vase.
Following her arrest, Bynes underwent a psychiatric evaluation at a hospital before she was processed at the police station.
On May 25, Bynes said on Twitter that she had been sexually harassed by the arresting officer: "[He] slapped my vagina. Sexual harassment. Big deal."
The police department has denied the accusation.
On July 22, 2013, Ventura County sheriff's deputies detained Bynes in front of a stranger's house in Thousand Oaks California, where she had allegedly starting a small fire in the driveway, and had her hospitalized under a 72-hour 5150 mental evaluation hold.
Bynes' parents filed for conservatorship of their daughter shortly after her hospitalization began.
On August 9, Bynes' mother was granted a temporary conservatorship over
Bynes' affairs, including her medical care, as well as control over her
finances, after the judge agreed that Bynes had a "lack of capacity to
give informed consent to medical care."
On September 24, Bynes' lawyer asked for a "1368 Penal Code" hearing to
determine Bynes' mental competency. The court scheduled a January 14,
2014, hearing for a progress report.
Six days later, Bynes' parents said that upon doctors' recommendation,
Bynes was transferred from UCLA Medical Center to receive "specialized
treatment in a private facility outside of Los Angeles."
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