Sheriff Kevin McCarron said the contents of a background report into Lee Greens could leave a court no choice but to jail her.
He said he could have jailed her as the report had been prepared in September for offences including domestic assault, culpable and reckless conduct and threatening or abusive behaviour.
But Greens pleaded guilty to new offences by shoplifting a Tesco in Galashiels on February 4 and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, shouting and swearing and acting in an aggressive manner towards police officers on May 14.
As a result Sheriff McCarron called for a fresh Criminal Justice Social Work Report to be prepared and deferred sentence until November 13 to allow resident sheriff Peter Paterson to deal with the case.
But he warned Greens:"The reports I have read today are not impressive at all. If the next report is the same you will be leaving the court with no choice as there are more offences to deal with.
"Your attitude, outlook and co-operation needs to improve before you come back to court because if not you could be in significant trouble."