Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Jokesters 22 Pub N Grub? Here's What You Need To Know
I've sued more reckless bars for failing to adhere to liquor laws than anyone else in the state of Texas. With three decades of experience and hundreds of cases behind me, I have seen just how frequently bars put profit before safety and over-serve alcohol, in spite of their legal obligation to serve responsibly. While people might see or hear of drunk driving accidents from time to time, they don't tend to hear as much about the role that irresponsible bars play in those accidents. In order to raise more awareness of this topic, I spend a portion of my time researching the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint database and writing about my findings here on my website. If you think you might have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim, don't hesitate to call my office at (855) 326-0000.
Jokesters 22 Pub N Grub is a bar, restaurant, and comedy club located in San Antonio, Texas. It has recently attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations, with authorities conducting two investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices in 2019 alone.
In my three decades of legal practice, rarely have I seen bar end up involved in a wrongful death or injury case that didn't have a history of complaints on file with TABC. Almost every bar I've ever sued was already on the authorities radar, so when I see a bar that has been investigated several times over a short period, it raises my concern that it could one day play a part in 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 Jokesters 22 Pub N Grub for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Jokesters 22 Pub N Grub in 2019
San Antonio - 713 S Alamo Street
Allegations:
On 03/13/2019, a concerned citizen reached out to the TABC and alleged that staff was drinking on the job and sold alcohol to an intoxicated person. The first 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 itself is drinking, its ability to judge when to cut off service is impaired.
TABC agents conducted an inquiry 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. In this investigation, agents had neither, which led to their decision to close the case on 05/01/2019.
A member of the San Antonio community contacted the TABC on 12/12/2019, claiming that the bar sold alcohol to both a minor and an intoxicated patron.
As in the previous investigation, authorities were unable to determine the veracity of the claims due to a lack of video evidence. Unable to take any further action, they concluded their work on the case on 03/05/2020.
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.
