Lawyers - if kids drink, use drugs at your home whAt is your liability?
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Anonymous
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Just for behavior?
WhAt if injury or accident? Montgomery county |
Anonymous
| Were you home at the time of the party? |
Anonymous
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Google social host liability in MD. Here are nice summaries:
https://www.debrasaltz.com/social-host-liability-in-maryland/ https://www.castrolawgroup.com/blog/2016/july/the-social-host-liability-parents-now-civilly-li/ Just serving alcohol to underage kids is a crime, and you could end up with fines (likely) or in in jail (less likely). If something goes wrong, and a kid ends up with alcohol intoxication, gets injured or raped, you could well end up in jail. If someone drives drunk or has an accident and there is an injury or a death, that’s criminal negligence on your part and a lot of jail. If your kid uses your house when you are away and you legit had no idea and did not supply the alcohol, you are probably okay. Your kid and the person who bought the alcohol, OTOH... Don’t do this OP. It’s dangerous for the kids and a lot of risk on your part. |
Anonymous
BTW, I’m not licensed in MD, and this is not a legal opinion. You should not rely on it in making decisions. Still common sense is that you never, ever serve minors. |
Anonymous
| What if the minors are drinking / doing drugs in your house without your knowledge? This happened to us. One of the kids brought alcohol into our home without our knowledge. Are we still liable? |
Anonymous
| PP here. Should have mentioned that we were home at the time, but had no idea. |
Anonymous
Depends on the state. Civilly, maybe. If the statute states you don’t have to know. Or civilly, if a reasonable person should have known. |
Anonymous
| Also be mindful that in MD, at least, you can be held liable if you are serving drunk guests that are of age. |
Anonymous
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Just to clarify, for the mere fact that there were teens in your house drinking or doing drugs (that you did not provide), liability is nothing, correct? Nothing the parent did is illegal.
If accident or crime occurs, that is different. |
Anonymous
| I'm confused. Does this really matter? Your Darling Child was complicit in underage drinking in your home with out your knowledge. What are you looking for here? Yes, you are responsible you are the adult. Your child does not respect you at this moment and there needs to be consequenses for these actions. Yes, many kids do this still does not make it right. As for legal liability in Montgomery County you can be fined. Happens rarely. If an accident occurs slightly different. But given what happened in the Sam Ellis case you don't have much to worry about in Montgomery County. Those parents got a slap on the wrist and a fine and they knew about the underage drinking. |
Anonymous
Happened in VA - parents out, guests had alcohol, one kid (same neighborhood) had alcohol poisoning, parents now suing their neighbor. Nice, huh? |
Anonymous
| Criminal liability or civil liability? Two very different things. The worst case scenario could wipe you out. |