Justin Timberlake faced a virtual court hearing from Antwerp, Belgium, on July 26, as his driving privileges in New York were temporarily suspended following his June arrest in Sag Harbor.
The former NSYNC star, 43, appeared stoic during the proceedings, where he pleaded not guilty to a revised misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence.
Sag Harbor Village Justice Carl Irace ruled that Timberlake’s license would be suspended in New York, although the exact duration of the suspension remains unconfirmed.
Following the hearing, Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke Jr., labeled the suspension as “standard with every DUI.”
Burke had previously filed a motion requesting the dismissal of the case, which he later withdrew.
Irace also warned Burke to “be more mindful” with his public comments, noting that they could be seen as an attempt to taint the case before it even begins.
Irace stated that if such comments persisted, a gag order might be imposed, potentially requiring Timberlake to return from his Forget Tomorrow world tour to appear in court in person.
The next court hearing is scheduled for August 9, with a tentative court date set for September 13.
During the July 26 hearing, Burke asserted that Timberlake was “not intoxicated” at the time of his arrest, expressing confidence that the charge would be dismissed.
Burke criticized the police for what he described as significant errors during the arrest, asserting that Timberlake cooperated fully with officers but was wrongfully detained.
According to police reports, Timberlake was pulled over at 12:37 a.m. on June 18 for allegedly failing to stop at a stop sign and not maintaining his lane.
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The officer noted Timberlake’s “bloodshot and glassy” eyes, a strong odor of alcohol, slowed speech, and poor performance on field sobriety tests.
Timberlake was held overnight and arraigned at Sag Harbor Village Justice Court before being released.
Adding to the controversy, Timberlake seemed to make light of the situation during a recent tour performance, joking with the crowd about driving, which went viral on social media.
The arresting officer reportedly did not recognize Timberlake, leading to an awkward exchange where Timberlake expressed concern that the incident would impact his tour.
Timberlake’s Forget Tomorrow tour continues with upcoming dates in Birmingham on August 7 and 11, and London on August 12.
