Staff Reports
Florida Judge Darren Steele has sided with prosecutors and cleared the way for them to get Tiger Woods’ prescription‑drug records in the DUI case tied to his rollover crash. The subpoena targets records from Lewis Pharmacy covering prescriptions dispensed from the start of the year through the end of March. The decision comes after deputies said they found two pills in Woods’ pocket and observed signs of impairment, even though a breath test showed no alcohol and Woods refused a urine test.
Tiger Woods prescription records: what the court allowed
The judge authorized prosecutors — led by State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl’s office — to subpoena pharmacy dispensing records from Lewis Pharmacy. Those records can show what drugs were filled, when they were picked up, dosages and other dispensing details. Prosecutors argued the information is relevant to proving whether Woods was impaired while driving. A protective order was entered to keep the records out of the public record and to limit who can view them: mainly prosecutors, law enforcement, state experts and Woods’ defense team.
Privacy claims meet prosecutorial need
Defense attorney Douglas Duncan told the court that Woods has a constitutional right to privacy over prescription information. The judge acknowledged that privacy interest but still allowed the state access, saying the records are legally reachable in the course of the investigation. So yes, privacy matters — until it collides with public safety and evidence the state needs. Woods has said he’s stepping away for treatment and has sought permission to travel for inpatient care; he did not appear at this brief hearing.
Why the records matter and what comes next
Pharmacy records are not just boring paperwork. They give exact dates, times, quantities and warnings. Prosecutors can use that to build a timeline and to have experts say whether medication levels could cause impairment. Defense lawyers will push back — arguing relevance, scope and privacy — and we can expect motions over what parts of the records are admissible at trial. This is being done after deputies reported two white pills marked “M365,” identified as hydrocodone, were found on Woods at the crash scene, and after the sheriff said deputies believed he showed signs of medication‑related impairment.
At stake is more than one man’s medical files. This case is a straightforward test of whether celebrity status buys extra secrecy. The judge has given prosecutors a tool, but he wrapped it in a protective order to limit public exposure. Expect more legal skirmishing ahead as defense and state argue how much of those records the jury should see. If nothing else, the lesson is simple: fame doesn’t come with a privacy shield that blocks lawful subpoenas — and the law should be the same for everyone.
