Alcohol Liability / Dramshop / Hospitality

GAPC offers a focused practice in defending restaurants, bars and other social establishments against alcohol liability (“dramshop”) claims. Over the years founding partner Mark Anderson has been at the forefront in litigating important dramshop and alcohol issues that have resulted in amendments to the Utah Dramshop Act.

The firm's work includes:

• Involvement in obtaining summary judgment, and then arguing at the Utah Supreme Court, a case that resulted in the direct amendment of the Dramshop Act to exclude ordinary businesses from the purview of the Act (Stephens v. Bonneville Travel, 935 P.2d 518 (Utah 1997)).
• Successfully obtaining summary judgment and had affirmed on appeal a case involving whether a restaurant customer has a viable claim under the Act (Richardson v. Matador Steak House, 948 P.2d 347 (Utah 1997)).
• Trying to jury verdict, and then successfully appealing, a case that involved issues of available damages for death under the Act, and whether punitive damages can be recovered from a bar (Adkins v. Uncle Bart’s, 1 P.3d 528 (Utah 2000)).