Bars Investigated by the TABC

Bull Nettle Sports Bar & Billiards Investigated by TABC

Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Bull Nettle Sports Bar & Billiards? Here's What You Need To Know

For three decades, I've been holding bars accountable for over-serving alcohol. In the hundreds of cases I've handled, I've seen just how widespread irresponsible alcohol service is, as well as the tragedies that often follow in its wake. While people might see or hear about drunk driving accidents from time to time, rarely do they hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to draw more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion of my time to investigating the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting my findings here on my website. If you believe you may have a dram shop claim, please call my office at (855) 326-0000.

Bull Nettle Sports Bar & Billiards is located in Stephenville, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC on multiple occasions due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2015 and 2018, authorities conducted three separate investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.

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 contribute to 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 Bull Nettle Sports Bar & Billiards for possible criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of Bull Nettle Sports Bar & Billiards Between 2015 and 2018


Stephenville - 1755 W S Loop

Allegations:

Law enforcement filed a complaint with the TABC on 04/14/2015, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.

Upon investigating, authorities were able to find evidence to corroborate the allegation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, the TABC closed the case on 05/07/2015.

A staff member reached out to the TABC on 12/31/2015, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to a minor. 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.

After a month and a half of investigation, authorities were not able to locate any hard proof of a criminal or administrative violation. With no other course of action available, they decided to shut the case on 02/18/2016.

On 10/03/2018, the TABC received a complaint from a member of the Stephenville community, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a patron who was already over the limit.

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, investigators had neither. As a result, they chose to wrap up their work on 12/01/2018.

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.