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Tormented rock diva Courtney Love wept in court Monday as a judge wiped her legal slate clean after ruling the singer had successfully tackled her substance-abuse demons.
Los Angeles Superior Court judge Rand Rubin terminated Love's probation orders relating to drugs and assault charges despite objections from lawyers representing a woman who was attacked by the singer two years ago.
Love, the widow of legendary Nirvana rocker Kurt Cobain, tearfully thanked Rubin before apologising for crying in court, according to deputy district attorney Gina Satriano.
The 42-year-old had pleaded no contest in 2005 to the assault charge and guilty to possessing powerful painkillers Vicodin and Oxycontin without a valid prescription, as well as a count of being under the influence of cocaine.
She had been given three years probation for the offences and was ordered by Rubin to complete year-long anger management and drug treatment programmes.
In a statement to celebrity news website TMZ.com after Monday's ruling Love's lawyer Howard Weitzman said the singer had "turned her life around".
"Courtney stepped up to the plate, turned her life around and is on the road to releasing her new record and hopefully getting hired to act in films," Weitzman said.
The assault charges related to an attack by Love on musician Kristin King at the home of Love's former boyfriend, Jim Barber, on April 25, 2004. Under last year's probation order Love was banned from coming within 100 yards of King.
Lawyers for King on Monday argued against ending Love's probation a year early and terminating the protective order, recounting details of the attack.
"Ms. Love came in and picked up a large glass whiskey bottle from the coffee table and poured all the contents of the bottle onto Ms. King's body as she lay on the couch," lawyer Gloria Allred said.
"The bottle then hit Ms. King on the left cheekbone and temple. Ms. Love also picked up a large lit candle from the coffee table and threw it at Ms. King," she added. Love then dug her fingernails into King's arm, yanked her hair and slapped her, she added.
The fact that Love had substance abuse problems "does not excuse or justify an unwarranted vicious attack on another human being", Allred said.
"We are glad Ms. Love has received the help she needs, but we also felt the protective order should continue."
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AFPEntertainment-music-people-Love-justice
AFP 112258 GMT 12 06
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