Teenage Drinking In Your Home & Social Host Liability Laws

25 February 2015 by Jonathan Phillips

In some homes, alcohol use is liberal while in other households it is taboo. No matter which category your family falls into, as a parent of a teenager you need to understand what social host liability laws are and when they may apply to you.

Social Host Liability Law Basics

All states have what are known as social host liability laws. These laws speak to a situation where drinking has happened in your home and the drinker has:

• been arrested for a DUI
• been involved in an accident 
• had a serious health complication

When one of these situations has happened, then the host (homeowner) can be held legally responsible for any accidents which may occur. Additionally, the host can be held legally responsible for any negative health effects caused due to the consumption of alcohol on your property. Examples of health complications from drinking include potentially lethal situations such as alcohol poisoning and blood sugar problems.

Scenario #1: Parents Not at Home During Drinking

If you leave your teenagers in the care of a responsible adult, then you are not responsible for drinking issues that happen in your absence. By providing a responsible person to oversee your kids, you absolve yourself of social host liability.

However, if you leave your teens without adult supervision or you know that they have access to alcohol, then you can be held legally liable.

Scenario #2: Parents Not Aware of Drinking When at Home

If you are at home but your children supply their friends with alcohol without your knowing, then you may be held responsible for the drinking consequences. This is a gray area of the law and you will need to speak with an attorney regarding your specific situation.

Scenario #3: Parents Supply Alcohol to Minors in Their Own Home

Some parents believe that their teens will drink anyway, so they prefer to supply alcohol for a party at home where no one is able to drive. However, this scenario is very legally dangerous for you as a parent. Supplying alcohol to a minor is illegal in every single state in the United States. And, if you do it, then you can be prosecuted for any issues that arise from the partying.

It is always the best policy to keep alcohol away from your teenagers and their friends. With social host liability laws you could be charged with a crime if any of the kids have health issues with alcohol, get in an accident, or get arrested for a DUI. If a teen has been charged with underage drinking issues after drinking at your home, then you need to immediately make an appointment with a local DUI attorney such as Jack Weatherill Law Offices in your area.

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