Justin Timberlake isn't nearly as concerned about his DWI case as some fans are, because he's not following the typical celeb playbook after such an arrest ... TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Justin has no plans to check into a rehab facility following Tuesday morning's arrest in Sag Harbor, NY. It's not uncommon for Hollywood types to take proactive steps after a drug or alcohol-related arrest to look good before a judge.
Voluntarily seeking treatment in rehab or alcohol education classes can put them in a position for a better plea deal, but Justin has a different plan, and, perhaps ... for good reason.
As we've reported, Justin has no prior arrest record, and as for the alcohol -- our sources say he has no history of drinking irresponsibly, despite recent reports suggesting the opposite. People who've spent years around the singer tell us they've never known him to have a problem, and he's typically in control while out in public.
That's a vast departure from a situation like say, Lindsay Lohan's in 2007. The former child star checked into Promises Treatment Center in Malibu after she was arrested for drinking and driving in Bev Hills. The judge ended up forcing her to wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet, but she avoided jail time.
One other factor in Justin's game plan is that he's in the middle of a world tour, with the next stop coming Friday at Chicago's United Center ... and, as we've told you, he's hitting the stage, as scheduled. The tour runs through the end of the year -- heading to Europe and then back to the U.S. -- with only a few short breaks.
All of that adds up to Justin pushing forward professionally, and we're told he's leaving the DWI case to his lawyer Edward Burke Jr. ... who's already said he plans to fight the arrest.
That's what all good defense lawyers say, but the reality is Justin and prosecutors will almost certainly work out a plea deal ... and Burke made it clear they're anxious to see the police body cam footage of the arrest.
When cops pulled over Justin -- for allegedly blowing a stop sign and swerving -- the singer claimed he'd only had one martini during dinner with friends.
The arresting officer claimed to smell alcohol on his breath, and they say he did poorly on the field sobriety test -- but, because JT refused to take a breathalyzer -- the body cam will be key in determining what kind of plea deal he gets.
BTW, his next court date is set for July 26, which happens to coincide with his scheduled concert in Kraków, Poland -- so, don't be shocked if the hearing's rescheduled, or if the case is completely settled by then.
That's just how it goes for first-time offenders, even if they don't play the rehab card.