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Alcohol Sales To Minors Busted In Florida

By Eddie Farah

With more than 7,000 businesses licensed to sell alcohol in Jacksonville’s Duval County, the state is doing what it can to ensure underage drinkers aren’t getting their hands on alcohol.

Friday night police did a random check of more than dozen establishments in the Jacksonville area. Decoys, usually girls, are supposed to look their age and not dress to make themselves look older, then go into an establishment and try and buy alcohol. If the clerk doesn’t ask for an ID and sells them the alcohol, they are arrested by agents waiting in the wings.

On Blanding Boulevard, the manager offered to break the law and buy the girls alcohol. On this Friday night, there were two arrests made after checking 1 businesses licensed to sell alcohol. In most cases, the arrested clerks are not taken to jail, but are instead issued a 'Notice To Appear' before a judge at a later date, according to First Coast News.

Liquor stores generally do not face the same kind of liability for injury, property damage or death related to a teenage drunk driver as a bar. Florida’s Dram Shop Law does allow the victims of drink driving accidents to sue bars, hotels or restaurants that sell alcohol to underage teens who are injured or injure others as a result.

If the bar either didn’t ask for an ID or ignored an obviously fake ID, they may share the liability if that teen gets into an accident and causes injury and death.

Even parents can share the liability for teen drinking if they provide the alcohol at their home. Unfortunately, it is often parents who say that they want their children to avoid drinking and driving so instead they make alcohol available in their home. This is a huge mistake for many reasons. Depending on your attitude toward alcohol, that will be relayed to your child. If you think underage kids drinking is okay, maybe you’d like to hang onto everything you’ve ever worked for.

Most states impose liability on social hosts when alcohol is served to a minor and the host should have recognized the extent of the teen or underage intoxication that would follow.

State law says that parents who knowingly serve minors can be facing a violation of social host liability laws that includes liability for death, injuries, and property damage that may result when a young person is intoxicated.

Florida’s law on these issues can be complex and confusing. Whether you plan on hosting a party, have been injured by an underage intoxicated driver, or are the parent of a teen who caused damage, you will need to consult with an experienced accident attorney who can help you navigate Florida’s laws. Don’t try to go it alone. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on December 06, 2008 (boomark / email).