Justin Timberlake's DWI hearing: What to expect as pop star's world tour continues

Justin Timberlake’s DWI case is proceeding with a court hearing on Friday.

The singer was arrested in Sag Harbor, N.Y., part of the Hamptons on Long Island, in the early morning hours of June 18 and charged with one misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated (DWI) after refusing a breathalyzer. Timberlake, who was driving a 2025 BMW after being at the restaurant and bar of the American Hotel, was also cited for running a stop sign and failure to stay in his lane. He was held for a morning arraignment, pleaded not guilty and was released without bail.

⚖️ What is expected to happen at the hearing?

The hearing is scheduled to take place at Sag Harbor Village Justice Court on July 26 at 9:30 a.m. ET. The proceedings won’t be livestreamed, a court spokesperson tells Yahoo Entertainment.

Timberlake’s criminal attorney, Edward Burke Jr., has already said that the star won’t be attending the hearing in person, according to the Southampton Patch. The singer is in Europe for his “Forget Tomorrow World Tour” with dates in Kraków, Poland, on Friday and Saturday. Burke will appear on his behalf, telling the outlet he looked “forward to vigorously defending” his client.

The hearing is a “procedural conference with the judge and district attorney,” Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Yahoo Entertainment. “The hearing can happen in person or virtually, and the parties will discuss matters such as discovery, pretrial motions and the possibility of a plea.”

➡️ Is Timberlake facing jail time?

In New York, a misdemeanor DWI conviction could result in up to one year in jail and $500 to $1,000 in fines. However, “it would be a rare thing that somebody, even with a [chemical test] refusal, would serve jail time as a first offender without an accident or egregious circumstances,” says Peter T. Goodrich, of Goodrich & Bendish in New York. “If you had an accident, that spins the case a lot differently.”

While there are many varying factors playing into an individual’s case, there’s a chance of a plea deal. If one is struck, a “big thing you'd be looking for [is] not be put on probation,” says Goodrich, a former longtime assistant district attorney in New York's Westchester County.

Probation could last several years, with Timberlake’s pop star lifestyle being closely monitored by the probation department. He’d need to clear travel, be subject to random drug and alcohol testing as well as home searches and be prohibited from places serving alcohol.

“It would hamper his ability to do what he does,” Goodrich says of the globe-trotting singer.

Timberlake won't attend the hearing — held at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Court in Sag Harbor, N.Y. — in person because he's on tour. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

A better scenario would be the Suffolk County District Attorney, which is prosecuting the case, agreeing to reduce the DWI to DWAI (driving while ability impaired) — a traffic violation, not a crime like a misdemeanor. Over a six-month interim probation, Timberlake could complete a drunk driving course, community service and the DWI arrest would be wiped from his record. Timberlake’s refusal to take a chemical test (urine, saliva, blood or breath test) could play into that, however, with prosecutors less likely to make that deal.

Once Timberlake’s attorney gets the discovery — to include information about the arresting police officers and any complaints about them, witness reports, scientific evidence and video footage taken by police during the arrest and reading of his DWI rights — he could opt to go to trial instead.

“You have to really review the evidence in detail before you make a decision of whether you're going to go to trial or not,” Goodrich says. “The witnesses” — including those who saw him earlier that evening at the restaurant’s bar — “are very important.”

If convicted, in addition to possible jail time and fines, a driver could be required to install an ignition interlock device on any vehicle they own/operate.

🪪 Will Timberlake have his license revoked?

A separate issue is around Timberlake’s refusal to take the breath test. Under New York law, any person who drives a motor vehicle in the state is deemed to have given their consent to chemical testing to determine the alcohol or drug content of their blood. Declining to do so during a DWI arrest results in the person’s license being revoked for at least one year, independent of the criminal court case.

Typically at the arraignment it’s explained to the defendant that their driving privileges have been temporarily revoked pending a hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles. At the DMV hearing, if it’s found that there’s evidence that Timberlake refused the breath test after adequately being advised of his DWI rights, then his license would likely be revoked for a period of a year. (His attorney would likely argue that Timberlake wasn’t adequately advised of his DWI rights.)

The DMV also usually requires impaired driving offenders to undergo a screening with a doctor to identify risk factors to evaluate whether they have a drug or alcohol problem. So there are additional steps there too.

🗓 How did we end up here?

Shortly after midnight on June 18, a Sag Harbor police officer stopped Timberlake after he said he saw him weave out of a lane and go through a stop sign, according to the arrest report.

The officer said Timberlake had “bloodshot and glassy” eyes, was unsteady on his feet and there was a “strong odor” of alcohol on his breath. Timberlake told the officer he had “one martini,” according to the report. The officer said the singer “performed poorly” on the field sobriety test. He refused to take a chemical test or put his initials next to a statement saying his refusal to submit to the test could be used against him at trial.

Justin Timberlake onstage at Madison Square Garden in June. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Timberlake was arrested and held until his 9:30 a.m ET arraignment. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released without bail. Shortly thereafter, Timberlake’s mug shot was released.

At his first concert after the arrest, Timberlake — who has two sons with Jessica Biel — told the crowd in Chicago he had a “tough week.”

Despite the criminal case, Timberlake’s tour schedule is jam-packed. After his shows in Poland, he’ll be in Germany, Belgium, England, the Netherlands and Denmark through August.