The Too-social Host : Part 1

Q: I was in high school, and now I am in the hospital.  I went to a party at my friend’s house.  Her parents were away.  She had given kids permission to bring alcohol, even kegs of beer.  I think she was even supposed to get a cut of the money.  During a brawl on the street, I was punched in the face.

A: This is appalling.  Your attorney will certainly tell the court that your friend deliberately planned to provide, supply and give alcohol to underage people.  She was more than an unknowing bystander or an innocent dupe whose premises were used by other minors seeking to drink.  She was more than a passive participant who merely knew of the underage drinking and did nothing else to encourage it.  She played an indispensable role in a deplorable scheme to make alcohol available to underage guests.

The law fully understands that a person consuming excess alcohol at a social event has the same propensity harm the traveling public as one who has received alcohol in a retail establishment.  In New York, we even have a statute called General Obligations Law § 11-100.  Its purpose is to employ civil penalties as a deterrent against underage drinking.  Every parent, and every child, should know better than to facilitate what happened here, and this statute is available in the event of a lawsuit.

By: Scott Baron,
Attorney at Law Advertorial

The law responds to changed conditions; exceptions and variations abound. Here, the information is general; always seek out competent counsel. This article shall not be construed as legal advice.

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