Considering A Dram Shop Case Against 1886 Humble Backyard? Here's What You Need To Know
In the 30 years that I've been suing reckless bars for over-serving alcohol, I've handled hundreds of cases. My experience has shown me time and again just how many bars consistently fail to follow alcohol service regulations. While people might see or hear of a drunk driving accident now and then, it is less common for them to hear about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. One of my goals is to increase the public's awareness of this issue. With that in mind, I dedicate some of my time to reviewing the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting my findings here on my website. If you think you may have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and have questions about how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
1886 Humble Backyard is a bar and BBQ restaurant located in Houston that was founded by the owners of the barbecue pit company Pitmaker. Over the last few years, it has developed a steady stream of business thanks to its creative cocktail recipes and laid-back atmosphere. However, bar patrons and barbecue lovers aren't the only ones who have been regulars at 1886 Humble Backyard; over just two years, TABC agents investigated allegations of criminal or administrative violations there on four separate occasions.
In my experience, it's uncommon for a bar without a history of run-ins with the TABC to end up on the hook for contributing to a wrongful death or injury. Virtually every bar I have ever sued was already on the authorities' radar. That's why I pay close attention to bars with several recent complaints against them. The more investigations a bar has had, the greater my concern is that it could one day cause an accident.
Note: Investigations are not proof of wrongdoing. However, if authorities investigate and fail to find evidence, it doesn't necessarily mean an establishment is innocent, either. The purpose of this article is simply to relay publicly-available information about incidents where the TABC has investigated 1886 Humble Backyard for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of 1886 Humble Backyard Between 2017 and 2018
Houston - 7015 Manor Way
Allegations:
On 10/18/2017, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with TABC, alleging that staff sold alcohol to a patron who was visibly intoxicated.
Authorities followed up with an investigation, but they failed to find any evidence to corroborate the claim. Unable to take further action, TABC closed the case on 12/13/2017.
TABC received yet another citizen complaint on 02/12/2018, this time alleging that a staff member was selling drugs on the premises.
The ensuing investigation was not successful at proving a criminal or administrative violation took place, most likely due to a lack of video evidence. On 03/24/2018, authorities closed the case.
On 05/24/2018, a member of the Houston community lodged a complaint that claimed a staff member had sold drugs.
Once again, the investigating agents could not produce any evidence that such a violation had occurred. As a result, they decided to end their work on this case on 08/19/2018.
TABC received the most recent citizen complaint against this bar on 11/27/2018. On this occasion, there were two charges: staff selling drugs on the premises and selling alcohol to an inebriated customer.
In order to prove that a bar has committed a violation, TABC generally requires either video footage of the incident or eyewitness testimony from one of its agents. Having neither in this particular case, authorities could not establish the veracity of the charges in the complaint. Thus, they concluded their efforts on 02/06/2019 without taking further action.
Texas Law Says Accident Victims Can Sue Bad Bars
If you would like to learn more about Texas dram shop law (i.e. lawsuits against bars who play a role in injurious or fatal accidents), please visit our Texas Dram Shop Law Info Page.
