Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Boozers Granbury Club? 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.
Boozers Granbury Club is a bar in Granbury, Texas. While most of its visitors come out for the live music, trivia, and pool tournaments, the TABC has also come knocking on a number of occasions due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2019, authorities had conducted four separate investigations into alcohol service practices at Boozers Granbury Club.
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 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 Boozers Granbury Club for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Boozers Granbury Club
Granbury - 211 M And M Ranch Road Suite 110
Allegations:
The TABC received a citizen complaint on 09/22/2015, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a minor as well as during prohibited hours.
Authorities subsequently looked into the matter. 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. In this particular instance, authorities had neither. As a result, the case came to a close on 11/17/2015.
An unnamed source contacted the TABC on 08/10/2018 and alleged that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
After well over a month of investigation, TABC agents were unable to find any evidence of a criminal or administrative violation. Unable to take any action, authorities decided to close the case on 09/19/2018.
Law enforcement reached out to the TABC on 12/12/2018, charging that the bar sold alcohol to both a person under the age of 21 and to a drunk customer.
As mentioned previously, the TABC relies heavily on video evidence to determine the veracity of most allegations. As agents had no such proof in this investigation, they chose to close this case on 01/17/2019.
On 04/24/2019, a second law enforcement complaint alleged that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) took place and that the bar failed to report it (itself a violation).
TABC agents conducted an inquiry and found evidence to support the second allegation, which it classified as an administrative violation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, authorities wrapped up their work on the case on 06/01/2019.
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.