Social host liability in AZ?

futuremrsmann

I'm having a backyard wedding in Chandler. There will be 100 guests and we are planning on having self serve margarita machines and 2 kegs of beer plus water and soda. If someone drives drunk who would be held liable for an accident (homeowner, person that bought it, the party hosts, or the driver?) Also there will be minors at my wedding, I am against serving alcohol to minors but I realize it is possible, they definitely will not be driving but if the cops come and a kid is sneaking something am i screwed?

I looked this up on socialhostliability.org but I can't understand the legal jargon, any help would be appreciated.

xenacick

What I would do is call an insurance company that typically handles event insurance and ask them what the rules are.  We are having our wedding at a venue that requires us to purchase a $1 Million liability policy (works out to be like $250)...the company info is www.arredondoins.com/" target="_blank">www.arredondoins.com 2130 S. Rural Rd●Tempe AZ.85282 480-966-5140 x102.  Good luck!

skidevil89

I don't know what the law in Arizona is, but I read a case in law school in which a couple was sued after a minor consumed alcohol at their wedding and then injured someone in a car accident when he left. The case was dismissed and the court held that the couple was not liable as social hosts for the injury caused by the minor. Again this case was from the state of Washington and I'm not sure what AZ law is.

One thing I would recommend is to hire a bartender who will check IDs and cut people off. Often bartenders have liability insurance as well.

My dad and step-mom had a backyard wedding without a bartender so they made everyone check their keys at the door. They assigned several people to take turns giving the keys back as people left during the night and to make sure that people were ok to drive before leaving.

I don't think you would be held liable, but you may want to take precautions so that your guests don't drive drunk. This post does not constitute legal advice Good luck!

futuremrsmann

Thanks ladies!

xenacick I looked up a website called wedsafe that does something similar and I was thinking of doing this, I'm glad to get a referral though, I feel more comfortable using someone that was liked by a real person! Someone else told me to check my aunt's homeowners policy to see if it would cover this, I'm going to do that first and then if not I think I will use your reference, thanks!

And skidevil89 that's what I gathered too from the AZ laws I read, that it's not so much serving alcohol, it's cutting someone off when they are visibly intoxicated and not letting them drive, which I will make a point to do no matter what.

Thanks again!

LyndseylovesHugh

You will 100% be held liable if you serve underage people!!!  I suggest hiring a professional bartending service with their own liablity insurance to take the liablity off of you.  I would contact Pour Masters, Hey Bartender or another similar service.  In addition to an insured bartending service you should also get a rider on the home owners insurance just in case.  I know it will be extra money for a service but if ANYTHING happens to any guest of yours or if the police show up at all you will be held liable, you can be sued and you can go to jail, so it is worth that extra expense.