The judge praised Lindsay Lohan, seen at right with her attorney Shawn Chapman Holley in November, for following her strict new probation routine of counselling and working at the county morgue. The judge praised Lindsay Lohan, seen at right with her attorney Shawn Chapman Holley in November, for following her strict new probation routine of counselling and working at the county morgue. (Mario Anzuoni/Associated Press)

A Los Angeles judge says Lindsay Lohan is doing well under her strict new probation routine of counselling and working at the L.A. County morgue.

A progress report hearing lasted less than 10 minutes on Wednesday after the actress successfully completed the benchmarks set by U.S. Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner.

Lohan, who arrived 10 minutes early for her court appearance, has worked at the morgue for 12 days since her sentencing Nov. 2 and completed five therapy sessions.

"She's been doing fine," deputy chief coroner Ed Winter said on Tuesday, adding that the actress has been showing up, working and leaving without incident.

Lohan remains on probation for a 2007 drunken driving case and a misdemeanour grand theft case filed after she took a $2,500 US necklace without permission. She is required to make monthly court appearances until March.

Wednesday's hearing came without the usual drama that precedes Lohan's recent court appearances, which have focused on the actress' shortcomings by missing court-ordered therapy sessions and getting booted from a community service assignment at a women's shelter.

The Mean Girls star spent less than five hours at a jail in November as part of a 30-day sentence imposed by Judge Sautner for Lohan's continued misbehaviour. She has consistently struggled with the terms of her various sentences, which have included jail terms, rehab, community service and counselling.

Her appearance on Wednesday came days before a Playboy issue featuring Lohan in a mostly nude pictorial hits newsstands. The magazine released the issue online early after photos of the Marilyn Monroe-inspired spread leaked out online.