Don’t Let a Holiday Party Ruin Your Life
This is a law that very few people know about, but it's very important during the holidays. You are having a Christmas party at your house. You serve alcohol. One of your guests (who is an adult) has a few too many and drives home. They get in a crash and hurt someone.
Can you be sued? In many places, the answer is yes. This is called "Social Host Liability." If you provide alcohol to someone you know (or should know) is drunk, and they go on to hurt someone, you can be held responsible. This is even more true if you let a teenager drink at your party.
As criminal lawyers, we see the other side of this: the DUI. But we want all our clients to be safe. Please, be a responsible host.
1. Have non-alcoholic drinks.
2. Stop serving alcohol an hour before the party ends.
3. Take keys. Call a ride-share. Your friends might be annoyed, but it's better than a lawsuit... or worse.
