In a closely watched case (and one I have written about here, here, and here), the Maryland Court of Appeals last month, in a 4-3 decision, declined to recognize dram shop liability in the state of Maryland. Dram shop liability is a theory of liability that holds a restaurant or tavern owner accountable if a patron kills or harms another person after drinking too much at the owner’s establishment. The typical case involves an automobile accident and a drunk driver. Maryland has been one of only a handful of states that do not recognize at least some form of dram shop liability. And that will continue, at least for now.
