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Alcohol Server · Liability and Responsibility

Under the law, who can potentially face consequences for over-serving a customer who then causes harm?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

The server, the establishment, or both, depending on the jurisdiction

  1. A Only the customer
  2. B The server, the establishment, or both, depending on the jurisdiction
  3. C Only the police
  4. D No one

Why this is the answer

Depending on the jurisdiction and its dram shop and server-liability laws, the server who made the illegal service, the establishment (licensee), or both can face consequences when an over-served customer goes on to cause harm — such as a drunk-driving crash. Consequences can include civil liability for damages, fines, criminal charges, and loss of the server's certification or the establishment's license. This shared exposure is why both individual servers and businesses take responsible service seriously. Knowing who bears the risk underscores the importance of lawful service.
Source: Responsible Beverage Service — Liability Exposure

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This question is from our Alcohol Server Practice Tests practice test. Take the full practice test to test your knowledge across all Liability and Responsibility and other topics.

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About this topic: Liability and Responsibility

Liability questions cover who is responsible when an over-served patron causes harm — the server, the manager, the licensee — and the defences a certified server has. Knowing the chain of responsibility is what the certification is for. This is one of 9 Seller-Server questions on liability and responsibility, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our Alcohol Server exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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