Opinion ID: 1332379
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Barnes

Text: Barnes involves a third party claim against the defendant social host rather than a first party claim as advanced in Marcum. As in Marcum, the decedent was a nineteen-yearold guest at a business-related function. There was evidence that the decedent consumed alcohol provided by the Host at the party. Again, like the underage drinker in Marcum, the decedent was not involved in an accident upon leaving the party, but rather traveled to several other locations before being involved in a two-car accident. This accident killed both the decedent and a passenger in the other car. The passenger's personal representative (Barnes) sued both the Host and the estate of the underaged drinker in negligence. The jury returned a $750,000 verdict against both the Host and the decedent driver's estate, finding the decedent driver 80% responsible. The Host appealed, contending as it had in the circuit court that it was not liable in tort to the third party killed by its underage guest. The Court of Appeals affirmed the jury verdict against the Host, finding two statutes which prohibit a social host from serving alcohol to persons under 21 [4] created a duty running from the host to third parties. We granted certiorari to review this decision.