Gary Coleman's Suckiest Birthday Ever

Former child star scolded by judge for missing court date related to August charge involving wife

Instead of celebrating his 42nd year in style, Gary Coleman got to spend a chunk of his birthday today in a Utah court to answer for his arrest (and that wicked mug shot) last month.

The Diff'rent Strokester pleaded guilty to one count of domestic violence criminal mischief and was fined $595 as part of a plea deal with prosecutors, a court clerk tells E! News. In return, the judge dismissed domestic violence assault charges against Coleman and suspended a 30-day jail sentence.

"I've been in better places on my birthday," Coleman told  the Salt Lake Tribune before the hearing began.

The former child star was also given time served for the one and a half days he spent in the clink last month. Lastly, Coleman was put on a year's probation and will have to take part in a domestic-violence treatment program.

On Jan. 24, authorities responded to a 911 call about a "civil disturbance" at the Santaquin home shared by the pint-size actor and his wife of three years, Shannon Price. Although he wasn't charged for any crime related to that call, he was taken into custody once police found an outstanding warrant for skipping a court date stemming from an earlier domestic violence count.

Last August, the two got into a heated argument, which led to Price being arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and both her and Coleman cited for disorderly conduct. Coleman never showed up to face that charge, hence the warrant.

(Coleman and Price haven't exactly had a peaceful union; in 2007, he was slapped with a misdemeanor disorderly conduct citation after another fight with his missus.)

The actor spent a night in the slammer before the producer of his latest movie, Midgets vs. Mascots, paid $1,725 to bail him out. The bail came with a big string attached: In exchange for the cash, Coleman agreed to let filmmakers leave in a scene in which the actor briefly goes full monty.

An attorney for Coleman was unavailable for comment.

(Originally published Feb. 8, 2010, at 11:47 p.m. PT)