Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Lucky's Cabaret? Here's What You Need To Know
I've sued more bad bars for irresponsible alcohol service over the last 30 years than anyone else in Texas. In the hundreds of cases I've handled, I've seen firsthand just how widespread the practice of over-serving really is. Too many bars put profit over safety, even though it is their legal responsibility to not let customers drink too much, and this practice adds to the risk of drunk driving accidents. In order to help people understand how frequently this happens, I regularly review the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and report 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.
Founded in 2012, Lucky's Cabaret is a gentlemen's club located in Fort Worth, Texas. While most of its visitors come for the entertainment, the club has also received a number of visits from the TABC over the years due to several complaints alleging liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2019, authorities conducted no fewer than five investigations into alcohol service practices at Lucky's Cabaret.
In my experience, it is rare for a bar without a history of TABC investigations to be involved in a dram shop case. Almost every bar I have sued was already on the authorities' radar. That's why I pay close attention when I see a bar with several recent complaints against it. The more a bar has been investigated, the more I become concerned that it might one day end up contributing 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 Lucky's Cabaret for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Lucky's Cabaret Between 2017 and 2019
Forth Worth - 8003 Jacksboro Hwy
Allegations:
On 11/28/2017, the TABC received a complaint from a concerned citizen, alleging four separate violations took place at the bar: selling alcohol to a minor, permitting staff to sell drugs on the premises, selling alcohol to a drunk patron, and staff drinking on the job.
Authorities followed up soon thereafter with an investigation. 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 01/06/2018.
A citizen complaint charging staff with drinking on the job and selling alcohol to an underage patron brought the TABC back to investigate on 05/29/2018.
As mentioned in the previous investigation summary, the TABC relies heavily on video evidence to back up most accusations of wrongdoing. On this occasion, authorities were not able to uncover any such evidence. Consequently, the case ended without any further action on 07/12/2018.
The next citizen complaint came on 02/26/2019, charging that staff was drinking on the job, selling drugs, and serving alcohol to underage patrons.
The TABC launched an inquiry into the matter, but found insufficient evidence to prove a violation had taken place. With no other course of action available, authorities ended their work on the case on 04/12/2019.
On 08/22/2019, member of the Fort Worth community reached out to the TABC and alleged that the bar sold alcohol to a minor and to an intoxicated patron.
The investigation that followed was not able to prove the charges, but it did yield evidence of an unrelated administrative violation. After issuing a citation and handing down an unspecified penalty, authorities closed the case on 10/19/2019.
Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 11/13/2019, claiming that staff was intoxicated on the job.
After nearly two months of investigation, authorities had not found sufficient evidence of an administrative or criminal violation to take any action. Thus, TABC agents ended their work on 01/10/2020.
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.
