Criminal Defense Lawyers

When an allegation is made that a restaurant, or someone associated with a restaurant, has violated New York liquor laws or regulations, the consequences can be serious. A restaurant, or someone associated with it, that has been charged with a license violation, or even a crime associated with the liquor laws of the state of New York, can face extremely serious consequences in light of an allegation associated with a liquor license violation.

Serving Alcohol to a Minor

One of the more common types of liquor license violations are those involving serving alcohol to minors. An allegation based on serving alcohol to a minor can result a two prong course of action from the New York Liquor authority and even the criminal justice system in the country where the incident arose.

The restaurant itself can face sanctions associated with a minor being served alcohol on the premises. These sanctions are graduated. In other words, the sanctions imposed for serving alcohol to a minor become more severe after the first incident.

The first time a restaurant faces an allegation of serving liquor to a minor, the establishment is likely to face a fine. After the first allegation, a restaurant may face not only a fine, but a license suspension for a period of time. What that means is that the restaurant will be prohibited from serving alcohol on the premises for a specific period of time. The first time a restaurant faces a license suspension, the time period is not likely to be lengthy.

The severity can increase sharply if a restaurant continues to have issues with serving alcohol to minors. The New York Liquor Authority ultimately will revoke a restaurant’s liquor license for repeated violations of the law prohibiting serving liquor to a minor.

A restaurant employee that serves liquor to a minor can face sanctions as well. As is the case with the sanction against a restaurant, those that might be imposed upon an employee are graduated. The first time an employee serves to a minor, he or she is not likely to face a significant sanction. After the first time, the sanctions potentially can become seriously, and significantly so over time.

Christine Twomey

2024-03-21

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Brendan huisman

2024-03-18

Alex Zhik contacted me almost immediately when I reached out to Spodek for a consultation and was able to effectively communicate the path forward/consequences of my legal issue. I immediately agreed to hire Alex for his services and did not regret my choice. He was able to cover my case in court (with 1 day notice) and not only was he able to push my case down, he carefully negotiated a dismissal of the charge altogether. I highly recommend Spodek, and more specifically, Alex Zhik for all of your legal issues. Thanks guys!

Guerline Menard

2024-03-18

Thanks again Spodek law firm, particularly Esq Claire Banks who stood right there with us up to the finish line. Attached photos taken right outside of the court building and the smile on our faces represented victory, a breath of fresh air and satisfaction. We are very happy that this is over and we can move on with our lives. Thanks Spodek law 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙌🏼❤️

Keisha Parris

2024-03-15

Believe every single review here about Alex Z!! From our initial consultation, it was evident that Alex possessed a profound understanding of criminal law and a fierce dedication to his clients rights. Throughout the entirety of my case, Alex exhibited unparalleled professionalism and unwavering commitment. What sets Alex apart is not only his legal expertise but also his genuine compassion for his clients. He took the time to thoroughly explain my case, alleviating any concerns I had along the way. His exact words were “I’m not worried about it”. His unwavering support and guidance were invaluable throughout the entire process. I am immensely grateful for Alex's exceptional legal representation and wholeheartedly recommend his services to anyone in need of a skilled criminal defense attorney. Alex Z is not just a lawyer; he is a beacon of hope for those navigating the complexities of the legal system. If you find yourself in need of a dedicated and competent legal advocate, look no further than Alex Z.

Taïko Beauty

2024-03-15

I don’t know where to start, I can write a novel about this firm, but one thing I will say is that having my best interest was their main priority since the beginning of my case which was back in Winter 2019. Miss Claire Banks, one of the best Attorneys in the firm represented me very well and was very professional, respectful, and truthful. Not once did she leave me in the dark, in fact she presented all options and routes that could possibly be considered for my case and she reinsured me that no matter what I decided to do, her and the team will have my back and that’s exactly what happened. Not only will I be liberated from this case, also, I will enjoy my freedom and continue to be a mother to my first born son and will have no restrictions with accomplishing my goals in life. Now that’s what I call victory!! I thank the Lord, My mother, Claire, and the Spodek team for standing by me and fighting with me. Words can’t describe how grateful I am to have the opportunity to work with this team. I’m very satisfied, very pleased with their performance, their hard work, and their diligence. Thank you team!

Anthony Williams

2024-03-12

Hey, how you guys doing? Good afternoon my name is Anthony Williams I just want to give a great shout out to the team of. Spodek law group. It is such a honor to use them and to use their assistance through this whole case from start to finish. They did everything that they said they was gonna do and if it ever comes down to it, if I ever have to use them again, hands-down they will be the first law office at the top of my list, thank you guys so much. It was a pleasure having you guys by my side so if you guys ever need them, do not hesitate to pick up the phone and give them a call.

Loveth Okpedo

2024-03-12

Very professional, very transparent, over all a great experience

Bee L

2024-02-28

Amazing experience with Spodek! Very professional lawyers who take your case seriously. They treated me with respect, were always available, and answered any and all questions. They were able to help me very successfully and removed a huge stress. Highly recommend.

divesh patel

2024-02-24

I can't recommend Alex Zhik and Spodek Law Firm highly enough for their exceptional legal representation and personal mentorship. From the moment I engaged their services in October 2022, Alex took the time to understand my case thoroughly and provided guidance every step of the way. Alex's dedication to my case went above and beyond my expectations. His expertise, attention to detail, and commitment to achieving the best possible outcome were evident throughout the entire process. He took the time to mentor me, ensuring I understood the legal complexities involved to make informed decisions. Alex is the kind of guy you would want to have a beer with and has made a meaningful impact on me. I also want to acknowledge Todd Spodek, the leader of the firm, who played a crucial role in my case. His leadership and support bolstered the efforts of Alex, and his involvement highlighted the firm's commitment to excellence. Thanks to Alex Zhik and Todd Spodek, I achieved the outcome I desired, and I am incredibly grateful for their professionalism, expertise, and genuine care. If you're in need of legal representation, look no further than this outstanding team.

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Serving or Operating Outside Licensed Time Period

Restaurants in the state of New York can only serve liquor during specific hours each and every day. If for some reason aa restaurant serves outside of that time period, the establishment can face sanctions. As is the case with other types of liquor license related violations, those associated with serving liquor outside of appropriate legal time periods are graduated. In other words, they become more severe after the initial time this type of violation occurs.

Failure to Pay Liquor Taxes

A restaurant that serves liquor has the responsibility to pay an assortment of taxes. These include not just standard New York and other sales taxes, but those that arise out of holding a liquor license.

The reality is that a surprising number of establishments in New York that serve liquor, including restaurants, fail to properly pay liquor taxes due and owing to the state. This type of situation not only results in financial penalties being assessed against a restaurant, but can rise to the level of jeopardizing a restaurant’s liquor license over time as well.

Retain an Experienced New York Restaurant License Violation Attorney

A wise course to protect a restaurant’s legal interests in the face of a liquor license violation is to retain an experienced lawyer. There are attorneys in New York who have a background in defending restaurants in cases centering on violations of liquor laws, in cases that can negatively impact an establishment’s liquor license. The first step in retaining legal counsel is scheduling an initial consultation. Typical a lawyer will provide an initial consultation to a restaurant facing some type of liquor license related violation at not charge.