Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Sweetwater City Limits? Here's What You Need To Know
I've been suing irresponsible bars for over-serving alcohol for 30 years. My experience handling hundreds of cases has repeatedly shown me just how many bars fail to follow alcohol service regulations, as well as the tragedies that all too often result. While people might see or hear about a drunk driving accident from time to time, they don't tend to hear about the role that reckless bars play in those accidents. In order to call more attention to this issue, I dedicate a portion of my time to reviewing the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's complaint records and reporting 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, don't hesitate to call me at (855) 326-0000.
Sweetwater City Limits is a night club located in Sweetwater, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2018 and 2020, authorities conducted four separate investigations into the club'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 cause 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 Sweetwater City Limits for possible criminal or administrative violations.
TABC Investigations of Sweetwater City Limits Between 2018 and 2020
Sweetwater - 1500 Cypress Street
Allegations:
Law enforcement contacted the TABC on 08/14/2018, alleging that a breach of the peace (typically a fight) took place.
Authorities looked into the matter shortly thereafter. Even when the source of a complaint is a police officer, 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 10/03/2018.
The TABC received a second law enforcement complaint on 10/24/2018, alleging again that a breach of the peace occurred.
Upon investigation, authorities found sufficient evidence to confirm that the bar failed to report a breach of the peace, which they classified as an administrative violation. After issuing the club a written warning, the TABC closed the case without further action on 12/30/2018.
A third law enforcement complaint reached the TABC on 11/12/2019, accusing the club of selling alcohol to a minor.
As mentioned in the first 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 01/15/2020.
The next law enforcement complaint came on 03/05/2020, alleging that a breach of the peace occurred.
While the ensuing investigation failed to uncover any evidence to support the initial allegation, authorities did manage to determine that the bar sold alcohol to an intoxicated person, which they classified as both an administrative and criminal violation. After deciding not to hand down any punishment, the TABC concluded its work on the case on 04/14/2020.
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.
