Lindsay Lohan is facing a crucial court hearing during which prosecutors will lay out some of the evidence they have to support a felony grand theft case over a necklace.

The daylong preliminary hearing Friday is expected to feature testimony about Lohan's actions and the necklace, which an upscale jewelry store reported the actress took without permission in January. Prosecutors and the store, Kamofie & Co., have said the necklace is worth $2,500, although Lohan's attorney has indicated she plans to challenge its value.

The actress has rejected two plea deals that carried guaranteed jails sentences. This week, the makers of a pair of films announced they have cast Lohan in two movies, one of which will begin production later this year.

Preliminary hearings generally end with a judge determining there is enough evidence for the case to continue, although the levels of proof are lower than during a trial.

The stakes are slightly higher for Lohan, who was on probation for a 2007 drunken driving case when Kamofie reported the necklace stolen. The judge who initially handled the necklace theft case has said he thinks Lohan violated the terms of her release, but has assigned the preliminary hearing to another jurist. The new judge, Stephanie Sautner, could send Lohan to jail after Friday's hearing if she determines there is enough evidence to support the probation violation.