 Parties and summertime go hand in hand. With this in mind, it’s a great time to make sure you understand the “social host” laws. Social Host laws are designed to prevent against the distribution of alcohol to minors and people who have had too much to drink. These laws apply to “social hosts” who are providing alcohol in a non-commercial setting. Violation of this law can result in criminal and civil charges. Social Host cases are most commonly brought about as a result of a vehicle crash, or other incident involving serious injuries, after a party.
Social host liability is a state policy, and varies by state to state. Before hosting a party, make sure to check your state’s laws. Click here to find out the laws in your state. The only way to completely avoid social host liability is to not serve alcohol at all.
Aside from social host liability, if you are serving alcohol to minors, you will more than likely be facing other charges as well. Distribution of alcohol to minors is illegal in almost every situation. In some states, if a minor is caught serving alcohol to another minor, they may also face charges. And if this happened in a minor’s home, the parents of that child is liable as well.
Be careful when partying this summer. Make sure you know your state’s social host laws and abide by them. Have a fun summer, but make sure it’s a safe one!
This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.
