Tiger Woods’ legal troubles haven’t all involved his driving. The 15-time major champion also faced a $30 million lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Erica Herman, who sued him over their living arrangement and a non-disclosure agreement.
In September, Woods appeared at a South Florida courthouse with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, following a rollover crash in March. He reached a plea deal in the DUI case, pleading guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving.
Woods pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving after previously entering a not-guilty plea to driving under the influence. The agreement included a five-year suspension of his driver’s license.
However, the golfer’s previous legal troubles also involved his personal relationships, including two lawsuits Herman filed in 2023.
The disputes centered on a non-disclosure agreement and Herman’s claim that she had been improperly removed from Woods’ Florida mansion following their breakup.
Tiger Woods’ Ex-Girlfriend Filed a $30 Million Lawsuit Over His Florida Mansion
Herman filed a $30 million lawsuit against the trust that owns Woods’ 30,000-square-foot beachfront mansion in Florida.
According to CBS News, Herman claimed Woods promised she could keep living at the property until 2026 but unexpectedly forced her out in 2022.
The lawsuit followed the end of their relationship, which became public in March 2023.
In court documents filed that May, Herman described an alleged plan to remove her from the home by making her believe she was leaving for a vacation in the Bahamas.
She claimed that Woods told her they were taking a trip, but she instead encountered an attorney at an airplane hangar.
“While still in the [airplane] hangar, ‘Ray Donovan (a fictional character) with a pen’ proceeded to insult Ms. Herman, (advised) her she had no legal rights and (tried) to force her to agree to a (different) non-disclosure and arbitration agreement,” the documents stated.
Herman’s lawsuit sought damages related to the alleged housing agreement.
However, she voluntarily dismissed the $30 million case in November 2023.
Her attorney filed the dismissal “with prejudice,” meaning Herman could not bring the same claim again.
Erica Herman Also Challenged a Non-Disclosure Agreement With Woods
Herman files a Complaint for what amounts to wrongful eviction on 10/26/22 (see below):
Herman pursued a separate lawsuit against Woods seeking to invalidate a non-disclosure agreement she signed in August 2017.
She cited the Speak Out Act, a federal law that limits the enforceability of certain non-disclosure agreements involving sexual assault or sexual harassment disputes.
A judge rejected her request in May 2023, and Herman later dropped her appeal.
Her attorney, Benjamin Hodas, also submitted a statement addressing allegations raised during the legal proceedings.
“In dismissing this action, Erica Herman states that she was never a victim of sexual harassment or sexual abuse at the hands of Tiger Woods or any of his agents and it is her position that she has never asserted such a claim,” Hodas wrote.
The statement came after Hodas had previously argued that Woods sexually harassed his client.
Both legal disputes ended without further court proceedings. Public court documents did not indicate whether either case resulted in a private settlement.
Woods and Herman’s Relationship Began Years Before Their Court Battles
Woods and Herman first appeared publicly as a couple at the Presidents Cup in September 2017.
Herman attended the tournament wearing a “player spouse” credential, generally reserved for spouses and significant others of participating players and captains.
According to Golf.com, she also joined the wives and girlfriends of the U.S. team during the tournament’s opening ceremonies.
The couple made their relationship official on Instagram the following month, when Woods shared a photo of them attending a World Series game at Dodger Stadium.
Throughout their relationship, Woods and Herman largely avoided public appearances outside sporting events.
They attended the 2022 US Open tennis tournament together, where they watched Serena Williams compete.
Herman also appeared in a limited number of photographs on Woods’ Instagram account during their years together.
Their relationship ended after approximately five years.
In March 2025, Woods publicly confirmed his relationship with Trump.
Tiger Woods’ Legal History Includes a $30 Million Dispute That Had Nothing to Do With Driving