Ryan O’Neal draws praise from the judge

A Malibu Superior Court judge praised Ryan O’Neal on Friday at a progress report hearing related to the actor’s January 2009 guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance.

The judge told O’Neal that despite all the pressures he has been under of late, referring to the loss of his longtime love Farrah Fawcett, who died June 25 after a lengthy cancer battle, the reports submitted by his lawyers were glowing.

Earlier this year, O’Neal pleaded guilty to possession, stemming from a September 2008 incident when he was arrested alongside his son, Redmond O’Neal, after authorities stopped by the actor’s Malibu home for a parole check on Redmond. Authorities found methamphetamines during the search and in November 2008, father and son were charged with felony drug possession.

As a result of his plea, the 67-year-old received 18 months deferred entry to a judgment program. He was also ordered to complete a drug program. Once the drug program is completed, O’Neal’s charge will be dismissed.

At Friday’s hearing, the judge told O’Neal that he saw no reason to dismiss the case at the actor’s next progress report hearing, set for July 16, 2010.

Before he left the hearing for the day, O’Neal was overheard speaking to a couple of lawyers about his son, who remains in a drug treatment program in jail.

O’Neal was overheard telling the attorneys that his son has put on 15 pounds since being in drug treatment program and he is doing great.

“We have high hopes for Redmond,” he added.

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