The legal team representing Tiger Woods is pushing back against prosecutors who want access to the golf legend’s prescription medication records as part of his ongoing DUI case.
The 50-year-old professional golfer has entered a not guilty plea to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges stemming from a rollover accident that occurred on March 31 in Florida.
State prosecutors are working to obtain a subpoena for the 15-time major champion’s pharmaceutical records from a Palm Beach, Florida pharmacy. According to court documents accessed by ESPN, they want comprehensive information about his prescriptions between January 1 and March 27, including refill frequency, pill quantities, dosage specifications, and any medication guidelines provided.
Woods’ legal representative, Douglas Duncan, submitted a motion on Wednesday asking for a court hearing on the issue while questioning both the relevance of the state’s demand and potential violations of his client’s privacy protections.
“This right is admittedly not absolute should the State show the relevance of the records to its criminal investigation and thus warrant intrusion into Mr. Woods’ privacy,” Duncan stated in his filing.
Law enforcement officers who responded to the crash scene reported that Woods displayed signs of impairment and was found with two pills in his possession.
Should the court approve the state’s petition for these records, Duncan has requested the judge implement a protective order limiting access to Woods’ prescription information exclusively to prosecutors, defense counsel, and law enforcement personnel.
“The records shall not be disclosed to any third parties, including Order prohibiting dissemination of the records by the State in response to any public records request,” Duncan explained in his motion. “If and when it becomes necessary for the State to publicly disclose said records or any portion of said records, that a hearing must be held to determine the necessity of said disclosure.”
Following the incident, Woods issued a public statement announcing his decision to take a break from professional golf to concentrate on his health recovery. Reports indicate he subsequently entered a treatment program at a facility in Switzerland.
