PHOTO: Lindsay Lohan's Profane Nail-Polish Message

07/07/2010 at 12:50 PM EDT

Lindsay Lohan may have been all sobs during her 90-day jail sentencing, begging for understanding and expressing respect for the court on Tuesday. But her middle finger quietly offered another message.

Painted on the nail of her left hand was "F--- U."

"There's no legal ramifications from this. She has a First Amendment right to wear anything she wants," a prominent criminal defense attorney, Trent Copeland, tells PEOPLE. "But it's just not the brightest thing in the world to go into court like that."–Dahvi Shira and Ken Lee

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