Bars Investigated by the TABC

Tin Cups Caddy Shack Investigated by TABC

Considering A Dram Shop Case Against Tin Cups Caddy Shack? 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.

Tin Cups Caddy Shack is a driving range located in Galveston, Texas. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of the TABC on multiple occasions due to allegations of liquor law violations. Between 2017 and 2019, authorities conducted five separate investigations into the range'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 Tin Cups Caddy Shack for possible criminal or administrative violations.

TABC Investigations of Tin Cups Caddy Shack Between 2017 and 2019


Galveston - 9020 Stewart Road

Allegations:

On 05/24/2016, a concerned citizen filed a complaint with the TABC, alleging that staff was drinking on the job, sold alcohol to an intoxicated customer, and allowed customers to drink during prohibited hours. The first allegation is more serious than it might appear on the surface. Staff has a legal obligation to stop serving alcohol to patrons who exhibit signs of being dangerously intoxicated. If staff is drinking, its ability to judge when to cut off service is impaired.

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 07/12/2016.

A member of the Galveston community reached out to the TABC on 03/10/2017, claiming that the bar allowed a minor to both purchase and possess or consume alcohol, in addition to selling alcohol to a drunk customer.

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 04/11/2017.

The TABC received a citizen complaint on 06/02/2017, alleging that the bar sold alcohol to both a minor and an intoxicated person.

The ensuing investigation was able to confirm the second of the two allegations, which authorities classified as an administrative violation. For some reason, the TABC decided not to hand down any punishment, choosing instead to close the case on 07/21/2017.

A citizen complaint, filed on 03/12/2018, alleged that the bar sold alcohol to a patron who was already intoxicated.

TABC agents conducted an inquiry and found sufficient evidence to confirm the allegation. However, they ultimately decided against punishing the bar and subsequently closed the case on 05/14/2018.

On 03/25/2019, a further citizen complaint alleged that staff was drinking on the job, in addition to selling alcohol to a minor, an intoxicated person, and during prohibited hours.

The investigation that followed was not successful at turning up any corroborating evidence, which left authorities unable to take any action. With no other option available, the TABC decided to wrap up its work on 05/19/2019.

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.