Justin Timberlake has reportedly secured a favorable plea agreement in his recent driving while intoxicated (DWI) case, according to sources close to the matter. The 43-year-old “SexyBack” singer, who faced potential serious legal consequences following a June arrest in Sag Harbor, New York, is said to have negotiated a deal that significantly reduces the severity of the charges against him.
TMZ reported on Wednesday, Sept. 11, that Timberlake’s legal team, spearheaded by attorney Edward Burke Jr., has successfully brokered an arrangement with prosecutors that will see the original DWI charge dropped. Instead, the Grammy-winning artist will reportedly plead guilty to a lesser offense of Driving While Ability Impaired, which is classified as a traffic violation rather than a criminal offense.
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The alleged incident that led to Timberlake’s arrest occurred on June 17, when the singer was leaving a dinner engagement with friends at the American Hotel in Sag Harbor. According to the police report, a law enforcement officer pulled over Timberlake’s 2025 BMW after allegedly observing the vehicle run through a stop sign and fail “to keep on the right side of the roadway.”
According to the arresting officer’s criminal complaint, the singer’s “eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, he had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot, and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests.”
Following his arrest, Timberlake reportedly spent the night in Sag Harbor jail before being released on his own recognizance the next morning. He was initially charged with one count of driving while intoxicated and received additional citations for running a stop sign and failing to keep in lane.
The terms of the reported plea deal, while not yet officially confirmed in court, appear to be highly favorable for Timberlake. Sources indicate that the singer will be required to pay a fine ranging between $300 and $500, with the exact amount to be determined at a court hearing scheduled for Friday, Sept. 13, in Sag Harbor, per In Touch.
It’s worth noting that while the term “impaired” is used in the plea agreement, the offense will not be classified as a drunk driving violation. This distinction is important, as it significantly reduces the legal and personal repercussions Timberlake might have faced with a DWI conviction on his record.
However, the plea deal does come with one notable consequence: Timberlake’s driver’s license will reportedly remain suspended in New York State, the outlet reported. This suspension is standard procedure in cases where an individual refuses to submit to a breathalyzer test, as Timberlake allegedly did during his arrest. In New York, such a refusal typically triggers an automatic one-year license suspension.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Timberlake maintained a busy schedule, continuing his Forget Tomorrow world tour with performances in Chicago and at New York’s Madison Square Garden shortly after the incident. While he never directly addressed the arrest in public, he seemed to allude to his legal troubles during a performance at Chicago’s United Center on June 21.
During that concert, Timberlake told the audience, “We’ve been together through ups and downs and lefts and rights. And uh, it’s been a tough week. And you’re here and I’m here and nothing can change this moment right now.” He added, “I know sometimes I’m hard to love, but you keep on loving me and I love you right back. Thank you so much.”