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From: wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Partying and Driving!?!
Message-ID: <852@pyuxa.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 28-Jun-84 15:25:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxa.852
Posted: Thu Jun 28 15:25:31 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Jun-84 03:28:18 EDT
References: <568@ihuxa.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J.
Lines: 31

To begin, the drinking age in New Jersey is now 21.  As to the
Host being liable for a drunk being let loose on the highway,
here is how it goes, according to the courts.  There is a new
law in New Jersey (well nearly new) that says that a person
'serving' liquor can be held responsible for someones actions
if that person was let loose while drunk.  Now, where this had
applied in the past was to bar owners or bartenders who knowingly
let someone get drunk and did not take steps to prevent this
situation.  What the State court has said is that 'anyone'
who serves liquor and lets someone get drunk is liable.  The
court made note that the host, bartender, or whoever, must be
the server.  If a person pours their own drinks and gets
swacko, then the host is off the hook.  The reason that
bartenders get the shorter end of the stick is that there is
another state law that says that people cannot serve themselves
in a bar, drinks must be served by a bartender.  What this
results in is if you are going to have a party, make sure that
you do not act as a bartender.  Let everyone serve themselves.

This is the gist of the whole thing right now.  It could all
change again soon.  They are getting mighty tough on drunk
driving around this state as evidenced by a 20% drop in
people gathering at bars and the loud protests being raised
by bar owners.  A Bike and Beer Rallye was cancelled just
last week because the local police threatend to arrest bikers
who were drinking and apply the drunk driving laws to them.

I am a little concerned myself about the recent changes, but
I guess I can't get in too much trouble in my back yard.
T. C. Wheeler