Considering a Dram Shop Case Against Landmark Bar and Kitchen? Take A Moment To Read This First
My firm has sued more bars for liquor law violations - such as over-serving alcohol to their patrons - than any other in Texas. In my 30 years of practice, I have repeatedly seen just how rampant this problem is, as well as the tremendous damage it often causes. While people may hear of the accidents caused by drunk drivers, it is far less common for them to hear about the history of complaints against the bars that over-served those drunk drivers. With that in mind, I periodically review the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and report my findings here on my website. If you think you may have a dram shop (liquor liability) claim and want to know how to proceed, please call me at (855) 326-0000.
Landmark Bar and Kitchen is a popular bar in Fort Worth, Texas. In addition to its laid-back atmosphere, it also boasts retro arcade games, a varied menu, and a mechanical bull. A leader among Fort Worth bars in terms of revenue generation, Landmark Bar and Kitchen has also attracted attention of another kind: investigations for alleged violations of liquor laws. Over a period of four years, TABC came knocking on six separate occasions.
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.
I want to emphasize that, when an investigation occurs, it does not mean the bar in question has violated a law. It simply means that authorities felt there was enough evidence to merit closer inspection. Until a court decides otherwise, every business is presumed innocent. However, if an investigation fails to turn up any evidence of wrongdoing, it does not necessarily mean that a violation didn't occur - just that it couldn't be proven. What follows is a list of TABC investigations into Landmark Bar and Kitchen in recent years.
TABC Investigations of Landmark Bar and Kitchen Between 2015 and 2016
Fort Worth - 3008 Bledsoe Street
Allegations:
A citizen complaint on 08/20/2015 alleged three separate violations: selling alcohol to a minor, selling alcohol to a drunk patron, and permitting the possession of drugs on the premises. Soon after receiving these claims, TABC launched an investigation.
Authorities found enough evidence to cite the bar for misdemeanor offenses, resulting in a conviction and an unspecified fine. On 10/15/2015, the case concluded.
On 10/21/2016, a law enforcement officer filed a complaint that claimed staff sold alcohol to a minor.
The ensuing investigation turned up sufficient proof for TABC to issue two citations for selling alcohol to a minor: one for a criminal violation and one for a administrative violation. However, in spite of the evidence, neither citation resulted in punishment. Soon after, on 11/18/2016, authorities closed the case.
A citizen complaint, filed 03/07/2017, charged that a staff member was intoxicated and that the bar permitted consumption of alcohol during prohibited hours.
TABC could not prove either claim, so on 04/25/2017, it decided to close the case without taking any further action.
On 02/12/2018, an unnamed source claimed that the bar sold alcohol to a minor, triggering an investigation.
TABC spent six weeks looking into the matter but found insufficient proof to take legal action. As a result, it shut the case on 03/31/2018.
A member of the Fort Worth community contacted TABC on 02/08/2019, alleging again that this bar served booze to a minor.
Authorities worked on the case for a bit over a month, but uncovered no evidence capable of making the charge stick. Unable to take any further action, they terminated the case on 03/14/2019.
On 07/23/2019, a law enforcement agent reported that staff allegedly sold alcohol to a minor in addition to selling during prohibited hours. Following the report, TABC investigated the matter.
After around three weeks of investigation, authorities came up empty-handed. Unable to corroborate the claims, they closed the investigation on 08/17/2019.
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.
