Court Opinion

ID: 9705014
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:54:49.113286+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:07.464329
License: Public Domain

*138NIX, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent.
Today the majority suggests that there is no requirement of a nexus between the amount consumed as a result of the furnishing by the social host who is sought to be held liable and the subsequent injury. Under this theory one who permits a twenty-year old person to have a tablespoonful of an intoxicating substance would be responsible for any further conduct without any demonstration that that conduct was influenced by the consumption of the substance provided by that host. To me this is an unreasonable position and I therefore register my dissent.
In Congini v. Portersville Valve Co., 504 Pa. 157, 470 A.2d 515 (1983), this Court found that the Crimes Code made it illegal for a minor to consume alcoholic beverages. See 18 Pa.C.S. § 6308. Any adult providing the minor with that substance would be equally liable as an accessory. See 18 Pa.C.S. § 306. Based upon this legislative expression, this Court properly found a duty of care which would proscribe furnishing alcoholic substances to minors. To that point I am in total agreement. However, given the fact that section 6308 of the Code places the primary responsibility on the minor,1 this section must be interpreted as reflecting a legislative judgment that the minor is a competent person and is deemed criminally responsible for his own act in violating this prohibition.
The underlying premise of the majority’s holding today is that the minor is incapable of any responsibility for his acts in handling this substance. Certainly such an intention was not evidenced by the legislative enactment being relied upon to create the duty. In my judgment, until there is consumption of the substance furnished by the host to the extent that it impairs the judgment of the minor, no liability should attach to the social host. The risk identified by the Crimes Code is that the immaturity of the minor would increase the possibility that he would use that substance in an intemper*139ate manner and therefore impair his judgment. Any action by that minor prior to that point of impairment is clearly the responsibility of that minor and not the responsibility of the social host.
I would not, however, adopt the term “intoxication” as the test as did the Superior Court in this matter. It is sufficient in my judgment to find liability if there is any degree of impairment that can be found to have occasioned his subsequent imbibing which resulted in this tragic injury.2
I would therefore remand the matter to the trial court giving the plaintiff an opportunity to amend his pleading to accord with the requirements herein set forth.

. This of course would be applicable to these minors, who are subject to the Crimes Code (i.e., over 18 years of age) See Juvenile Act, 42 Pa.C.S. § 6301 et seq.

. Again I remind the majority as I did in my dissent in Matthews v. Konieczny, 515 Pa. 106, 125-129, 527 A.2d 508, 518 (1987) (Nix, C.J., dissenting), where the duty is defined by statute the court is not permitted to apply rules of foreseeability and causation based upon judicial policy, but rather must strictly track the legislative intent in creating the duty in the first instance.