Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Shiner's on Sixth? Here's What You Need To Know
My firm has handled more dram shop cases than any other in Texas. With 30 years of experience behind me, I have seen countless examples of bars that fail to follow alcohol service regulations and the tragic consequences that can result. This issue is more rampant that people realize, and one of my goals is to bring it to the public's attention. One way I do this is by reviewing Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission complaint records and posting about my findings. 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.
Shiner's on Sixth is a sports bar located in Shiner, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted a substantial amount of attention from the TABC due to a number of allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2016 and 2019, authorities conducted no fewer than five investigations into the bar's alcohol service practices.
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 play a part in 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 Shiner's on Sixth for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Shiner's on Sixth Between 2016 and 2019
Shiner - 316 W 6th Street
Allegations:
A concerned citizen reached out to the TABC on 04/20/2016, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to a minor, an intoxicated person, and permitted consumption during prohibited hours.
Authorities followed up soon after 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 06/18/2016.
On 04/26/2018, a member of the Shiner community contacted the TABC and alleged that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) occurred and that the bar failed to report it (a violation in itself).
Upon investigation, TABC agents were able to confirm that the bar failed to report a breach of the peace, which they classified as an administrative violation. After handing down an unspecified penalty, they closed the case on 06/15/2018.
A citizen complaint, filed on 09/19/2018, alleged two violations: selling alcohol to a minor and permitting a minor to possess or consume alcohol.
Due to a lack of video evidence, investigators could not determine the veracity of the claims. Unable to take any action, they chose to wrap up their work on the case on 10/26/2018.
The next citizen complaint came on 11/13/2018, accusing the bar of selling alcohol to a minor and permitting a minor to possess or consume alcohol.
Once again, the investigation failed to uncover any proof of wrongdoing and thus authorities could not take any action. Consequently, the case came to a close on 12/15/2018.
Law enforcement placed a complaint with the TABC on 05/08/2019, alleging the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Even when the source of a complaint is a police officer, the TABC requires corroborating evidence before it can take action. Having no such proof on this occasion, authorities shut the case on 06/28/2019.
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.
