A Florida judge on Tuesday ruled that prosecutors may obtain Tiger Woods' prescription drug records as part of the investigation and potential prosecution stemming from his March DUI arrest.
Judge Darren Steele approved a subpoena seeking prescription records from Jan. 1 through Mar. 27, the date of Woods' single-vehicle crash near his Jupiter Island home, according to court filings and multiple news reports.
The records sought include dates prescriptions were filled, medication names, quantities, dosages, refill history, and any warnings about operating vehicles while using the medications, court documents show, according to the New York Post.
Woods' legal team objected to public disclosure of the records but reached an agreement with prosecutors on a protective order that will limit access to prosecutors, law enforcement, state expert witnesses, and Woods' defense attorneys.
The judge's order specifically exempts the prescription records from public release under Florida law, meaning they will not be posted as public court records.
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Prosecutors originally served a subpoena on a Palm Beach County pharmacy for "any and all prescription medication on file" for Woods during the specified period, according to filings cited by local and national outlets, Yahoo Sports reported.
The subpoena seeks to determine whether prescribed medications and any warnings on their labels are relevant to potential impairment at the time of the crash and the subsequent arrest.
Woods did not appear at the brief hearing in Martin County Circuit Court, where the agreement and protective order were presented and approved, reporters said.
His attorneys argued for privacy protections but acknowledged that the right to medical privacy is not absolute when a prosecutor shows a compelling need for the records, according to coverage of the proceedings.
The decision follows Woods' March arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence after his Land Rover rolled and came to rest on its side, and local authorities said they found Woods behind the wheel and subsequently charged him. Woods has pleaded not guilty to the DUI-related allegation and has requested a jury trial, according to media reports that have tracked the case, as per People.
