Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Kat Daddy's? Here's What You Need To Know

I've been suing irresponsible bars for over-serving alcohol for 30 years. My experience handling hundreds of cases has repeatedly shown me just how many bars fail to follow alcohol service regulations, as well as the tragedies that all too often result. While people might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, they don't tend to hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to call more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion 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, don't hesitate to call me at (855) 326-0000.

Kat Daddy's is located in Conroe, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2019, authorities conducted five separate investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.

In my experience, it is 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 of a violation, 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 Kat Daddy's for possible criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of Kat Daddy's Between 2015 and 2019

Conroe - 463 Fm 1488 Suite 122

Allegations:

On 10/12/2015, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that staff was drinking on the job, sold alcohol to an intoxicated patron, and failed to report a breach of the peace.

Authorities looked into the matter shortly thereafter. For most liquor law violations, the TABC requires either video footage of the incident or eyewitness testimony from one of its agents in order to take action. Having neither in this investigation, authorities decided to close the case on 12/02/2015.

A member of the Conroe community reached out to the TABC on 07/12/2018, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk person.

While authorities did not uncover any evidence to support the initial claim, they did determine that staff was drinking on the job. After deciding not to hand down any punishment, the TABC closed the case on 08/14/2018.

The TABC received a citizen complaint on 12/19/2017, accusing staff of drinking on the job. This type of allegation is more serious than it might appear on the surface. Staff has a legal obligation to stop serving alcohol to patrons who exhibit signs of being dangerously intoxicated. If staff is drinking, its ability to judge when to cut off service is impaired.

As mentioned in the first investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video footage to back up most claims of wrongdoing. Since authorities had no such evidence in this investigation, they could not take any action, leading to their decision to close the case on 02/03/2018.

A staff member contacted the TABC on 01/10/2019, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person. While it might seem strange that a staff member would be the source of a TABC complaint, employees have a legal obligation to report any violations they see in the workplace.

The ensuing investigation failed to uncover any hard evidence of a violation, which left authorities unable to take any action. Left with no other option, the TABC decided to close the case on 03/05/2019.

The same day the previous investigation ended, on 03/05/2019, a citizen complaint brought the TABC back to investigate an allegation that the bar sold alcohol to a drunk customer.

This time, TABC agents were able to confirm the allegation, which they classified as an administrative violation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, authorities closed the case on 05/07/2019.

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.