The 2010 Liquor Law Handbook for Connecticut Permittees

This is the 8th Edition of the Liquor Law Handbook for Connecticut Permittees and is current as of January 2010.   It is designed to be an easy-to-use quick reference guide for Connecticut Permittees to the Liquor Laws of the State of Connecticut.

The Public Acts through 2009 have been integrated into the text of the statutes.  The penalty charts obtained years ago from the DLC via the Freedom of Information Act are still at the back, along with some general articles on liquor liability, lawsuits, and liquor control hearings.  Elizabeth Trendowski, a national expert on liquor liability standards, has contributed on article on checking ID's. 

From an industry perspective, things have been relatively calm since the last RegBook.  The US Supreme Court decisions allowing wine producers to sell directly to retailers have had little apparent effect on the industry.  In response to the decisions, the Connecticut legislature quickly passed restrictions on farm wineries which allowed similar restrictions on out-of-state wineries.  There were a few battles where isolated wineries attempted to free their registrations from various wholesalers, but the overall effect was negligible. There seems to be an expansion of internet wine sales, but even that is not fully developed. Unlike other years, the Liquor Control Commission has been relatively rational and, although enforcement seems to continue at previous levels, the Commission seems to be more conscious of the law and its role as a governmental agency. 

While not regulatory, the retail sales environment continues to get more hostile from a liability perspective. The on-premise establishments continue to be targets for the plaintiffs' attorneys.  A Dram Shop clam is easier to prove than ever.  In November of 2009, a New Britain Superior Court judge held that there was no "visiblity" requirement under the statute. As such, a bar could be held liable for selling to an "intoxicated" person even if the person showed no signs of intoxication whatsoever.  Package stores have an ever increasing number of claims brought against them as attorneys become more aware of sales to minors. 

To obtain a copy of this latest edition, please call our office at 860.767.9044, or send an e-mail to monicastone@trendowskilaw.com.