Opinion ID: 4557155
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Continuous Course of Conduct

Text: Bliss argues that a violation of § 25-823(a)(2) based on the actions of a private actor or non-managerial employee requires proof of a “continuous course of conduct, continued over time.” We hold that the Board reasonably determined that a violation of § 25-823(a)(2) does not require proof of a continuous course of conduct by the licensee. We turn first to the language of § 25-823. In re Settles, 218 A.3d 235, 238 (D.C. 2019) (“The first step in construing a statute is to read the language of the statute and construe its words according to their ordinary sense and plain meaning.”) 9 (internal quotation marks omitted). Section 25-823(a)(2) does not explicitly require a continuous course of conduct. To the contrary, the text of § 25-823(b) points in the opposite direction, stating that a single incident of assault can suffice. Section 25-823(b) does require that the licensee have “engaged in a method of operation that is conducive to unlawful or disorderly conduct,” but the Board could reasonably conclude that the latter requirement does not mean that the licensee’s method of operation must have been “continuous” and “continued over time.” In fact, our cases interpreting § 25-823 have explicitly distinguished between continuous courses of conduct and methods of operation. See, e.g., 1900 M Rest. Ass’ns, Inc. v. District of Columbia Alcoholic Beverage Control Bd., 56 A.3d 486, 493-94 (D.C. 2012) (“Rumors”) (“In the absence of evidence of a continuous course of conduct, it may be sufficient that the licensee’s method of operation created an environment that fostered or was conducive to the unlawful or disorderly conduct that inevitably took place.”). Bliss argues, however, that this court’s cases have interpreted the language of § 25-823(a)(2) (which was previously codified as § 25-823(2) (2012 Repl.)) to require a continuous course of conduct. To the contrary, our cases construing that language made clear that the existence of a continuous course of conduct by the licensee is relevant but not required. Rumors, 56 A.3d at 493-94 (Although the 10 existence of a continuous course of conduct is “the relevant inquiry,” “[i]n the absence of evidence of a continuous course of conduct, it may be sufficient that the licensee’s method of operation created an environment that fostered or was conducive to the unlawful or disorderly conduct that inevitably took place.”); Levelle, Inc. v. District of Columbia Alcoholic Beverage Control Bd., 924 A.2d 1030, 1036 (D.C. 2007) (“[A]n unlawful or disorderly purpose under D.C. Code § 25-823 can be imputed to a licensee who engages in a method of operation that is conducive to unlawful or disorderly conduct.”) (internal quotation marks omitted). It is true that the court ruled in Rumors, 56 A.3d at 495-96, that proof of a continuous course of conduct was needed to establish a violation of the provision that is now codified at § 25-823(a)(6) (licensee’s failure to follow security plan). That ruling, however, was legislatively overruled in 2015. 1215 CT, LLC v. District of Columbia Alcoholic Beverage Control Bd., 213 A.3d 605, 609-12 (D.C. 2019). In sum, we hold that the Board reasonably concluded that a violation of § 25823(a)(2) does not require proof of a continuous course of conduct by the licensee. 11