When you use a fake ID to go drinking at a bar, can the bar sue you?  This case got started when a college student named Charles decided to go drinking at the Old Stone Jug, located near Colgate University.  The only problem was, Charles was nineteen and the drinking age in the state of New York is twenty-one, so Charles got himself a fake New Hampshire driver’s license, showed it, and started drinking.  When he ended up at the campus police station completely intoxicated, he told officers he’d used a fake ID.  The State charged the bartender and the bar with selling liquor to a minor and moved to revoke its liquor license.  The Jug managed to hang on to its license but at great cost, and decided to sue Charles for trespass and fraud, asking for $250,000 in damages.  But the Court found for Charles, stating that if bars that serve underage drinkers are going to be able to successfully sue those drinkers; the legislature will have to permit it.  So the Old Stone Jug has come up empty and Charles, who was sued for having a fake ID, has faked them out once again.

THIS IS NEIL CHAYET LOOKING AT THE LAW™
OSJ d/b/a The Old Stone Jug v. Charles E. Work, Supreme Court of NY, 4/12/99, William J. O’Brien III, J., 1999 W.L. 261666

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