Title: Estate of Kelley v. Moguls Inc.

State: vermont

Issuer: Vermont Supreme Court

Document:

ESTATE_OF_KELLEY_V_MOGULS_INC.92-529; 160 Vt. 531; 632 A.2d 360


    NOTICE:  This opinion is subject to motions for reargument under
    V.R.A.P. 40 as well as formal revision before publication in the
    Vermont Reports.  Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of
    Decisions, Vermont Supreme Court, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont
    05609-0801 of any errors in order that corrections may be made before
    this opinion goes to press.


                                  No. 92-529


    Estate of Dean C. Kelley                     Supreme Court

                                                 On Appeal from
              v.                                 Windsor Superior Court

    Moguls, Inc.                                 May Term, 1993


    John P. Meaker, J.

    John J. Welch, Jr., Rutland, for plaintiff-appellant

    Allan R. Keyes of Ryan Smith & Carbine, Ltd., Rutland, for defendant-
      appellee


    PRESENT:  Allen, C.J., Gibson, Dooley, Morse and Johnson, JJ.


         ALLEN, C.J.   The question certified to this Court pursuant to
    V.R.A.P. 5(a) is whether a licensed vendor of alcoholic beverages may
    be liable for injuries to and the death of an imbiber resulting from
    the imbiber's driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated.  This
    liability would arise from the vendor's negligence in serving alcohol
    to someone who reasonably appeared to be under the influence of alcohol
    and who the vendor knew, or should have known, would soon be operating
    an automobile.  We hold that the vendor may be liable under the facts
    alleged.
         Plaintiff, the imbiber's estate, concedes that the Dram Shop Act,
    7 V.S.A. { 501, does not provide a remedy under the facts alleged.  See
    Langle v. Kurkul, 146 Vt. 513, 516,