Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Jolly Fox Club? 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.
Jolly Fox Club is a night club located in Huntsville, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2016 and 2019, authorities conducted four separate investigations into the club'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 Jolly Fox Club for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Jolly Fox Club Between 2016 and 2019
Huntsville - 2504 S Sam Houston Avenue
Allegations:
On 09/01/2016, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that the club sold alcohol to both a minor and an intoxicated person.
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 10/10/2016.
A member of the Huntsville community reached out to the TABC on 05/01/2018, claiming that the club sold alcohol to both a minor and a drunk person.
As mentioned in the previous 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 06/07/2018.
The TABC received a citizen complaint on 09/17/2018, accusing the club of selling alcohol to an underage customer.
TABC agents conducted an inquiry, but due to a lack of video evidence, they could not determine the veracity of the claim. As a result, investigators could not take any further action, leading to their decision to close the case on 10/13/2018.
The next citizen complaint came on 05/22/2019, alleging that the club sold alcohol to both a minor and an intoxicated person. Additionally, the complaint claimed that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred.
An investigation ensued, but authorities were ultimately unable to turn up any evidence of a criminal or administrative violation. As a result, the TABC chose to conclude its work on the case on 06/17/2019.
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.
