Legal Definitions - civil-liability act

A civil-liability act, also known as a dram-shop act, is a law that allows a person who has been injured by an intoxicated customer to sue the commercial seller of alcoholic beverages for damages. This law is often supported by the temperance movement and is designed to hold businesses accountable for the actions of their customers.

For example, if a person is injured in a car accident caused by a drunk driver who was served alcohol at a bar, the injured person may be able to sue the bar for damages under a civil-liability act. The bar could be held responsible for serving alcohol to someone who was visibly intoxicated or for serving alcohol to a minor.

Civil-liability acts are not universal across all states, but they are becoming more common. Some states have even created common lawdram shop actions, which allow injured parties to sue businesses for damages even without a specific statute in place.