Opinion ID: 2609858
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The social host statute

Text: Non-licensee liability is encompassed in Article 1 of Chapter 3, entitled Liability Limitation. A.R.S. § 4-301 reads: Liability limitations; social hosts A person other than a licensee ... is not liable in damages to any person who is injured, or to the survivors of any person killed, or for damage to property, which is alleged to have been caused in whole or in part by reason of the furnishing or serving of spirituous liquor to a person of the legal drinking age. (Emphasis added.) This section protects from liability non-licensees who furnish alcohol to adults. As we held in Estate of Hernandez, however, the statute does not protect non-licensees who furnish alcohol to minors. 177 Ariz. at 249, 866 P.2d at 1335. Further, as far as the Association and Sinclair are concerned, the statute obviously does not apply to the transaction described in this case. Mattox was not a guest, and the liquor was stolen, not furnished or served under any rational definition of those terms. Therefore, we conclude that § 4-301 does not protect Defendants.