Travis Hunter Sr. Receives Approval To Attend Son's Wedding, Accused Of Seeking Special Treatment

Palm Beach County Judge Howard Coates heard this request and did not agree with Hunter Sr.'s lawyer. Coates argued Cohen was looking to take advantage of Hunter being in the NFL. 

“I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat’s off to his son,” Coates said. “I don’t know that changes the father’s situation for me. In fact, it’s given me some concern that you’re almost arguing for special treatment.”

Hunter Sr. pleaded guilty to drug possession and was charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Hunter Sr. was originally sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation, which includes one year of community control supervision, which is the stage he is currently in. 

Cohen argued against the notion that he and Hunter Sr. are seeking special treatment, insisting that situations have changed.

“If someone was to win the lottery and someone was to get a new job, if someone was to move to a different neighborhood, all those situational changes aren’t asking for favoritism whatsoever,” Cohen said. 

“What I’m saying is his situation has changed in that his son is able to employ him. His son is able to give him stable housing and a stable environment. Those things are not asking for special treatment, judge. Those are simply issues that arose that changed the situation of an individual,” Cohen continued.

Coates stood by his decision that not only does he see it as special treatment, but the judge argued that others would agree that Hunter Sr. is only getting special treatment because of his son playing in the NFL.

“So you say, but probably 99 percent of the public out there that doesn’t have an athlete son who’s incredibly successful, might look at this and say, ‘This sounds like special treatment for the athlete’s father,” Coates said.

While Hunter Sr. is not getting a lighter sentence, he will be able to support his son on his wedding day on May 24. Hunter’s father was not able to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremony, but he was able to be there for his son during night one of the 2025 NFL Draft. Hunter Sr. was granted permission to fly to Green Bay to celebrate his son being the No. 2 overall pick.

Hunter was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who traded up in the draft to land the former Colorado star.