Legal Question in Consumer Law in California

Age of Drinking

One of our co-worker he is only 18 years old but always wants to hand out with us. We are 32,42,47 years old. Sometimes we go to bar but insist that he shouldn't drink but since he looks like 22 yrs old so he always was able to obtain drinks himself. Will we all get into trouble by not be able to stop him and hang out with him since the drinking is consenseul and we did not buy him any drink? What should we do, should we just not to hang out with him?

Thanks


Asked on 12/20/06, 6:36 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Re: Age of Drinking

This is one of those questions where there is a Reality Answer and a Goody Two Shoes Answer. Being a lawyer I probably ought to give you the Goody Two Shoes Answer. But you aren't buying his booze, it's on the barkeep or whomever for selling it to him. I'm not aware that you have some legal duty to rat out your underage coworker to the bartender or the 7-11 guy. Nor do I think it very likely that you would get arrested and charged with aiding and abetting, or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, or that you would get sued, even if he drove drunk and ran over somebody. It could possibly happen, especially if there were some real bad consequence and they were looking to blame somebody. Of course, if you did something other than just hanging out with him -- for example if you handed him car keys -- that would be a different story.

Read more
Answered on 12/20/06, 7:14 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Consumer Law questions and answers in California