Riverside ABC Violations Attorney

Riverside ABC Violations Lawyer

An ABC violation can put your business in jeopardy. If you want to improve your odds for an ideal outcome, you need someone defending your business. A Riverside ABC violations attorney can provide the legal advice and resources necessary to challenge accusations of ABC violations made against your establishment. If you are having trouble meeting license standards, an attorney can also help you ensure compliance.

Hire an ABC Violations Attorney You Can Trust

When you hire a Blake & Ayaz Riverside ABC violations lawyer, you are retaining a lawyer you can actually trust. With over 100 years of combined legal experience in California, you can partner with a competent and knowledgeable legal professional who still believes in customer service. Our first-hand experience can be just the solution you need to solve your legal issues.

ABC Violation Examples

When a business owner becomes an ABC license holder, they become responsible for certain obligations. For one, they must ensure their staff members understand their role in maintaining a good standing with the ABC. When one employee violates an ABC policy, it hurts everyone. Some common ABC violation examples are listed below:

• Operating under unsafe or disorderly circumstances
• Hosting unlicensed events
• Selling alcohol outside permissible hours
• Failing to follow any of the conditional requirements of the license, such as posting proper signage, keeping accurate and current records, or following premises standards
• Failing to ID consumers
• Serving or selling alcohol to already intoxicated customers
• Serving or selling alcohol to minors

The last example is one of the most important and heavily enforced conditions of all ABC license holders. A state report from 2024 put it into perspective by estimating 24,153 years of potential life were lost in one year due to the 414 young people under the age of 21 whose deaths were attributed to alcohol.

What Is the ABC?

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, also known as the ABC, regulates the licensing for manufacturing and selling alcoholic beverages within California. They also oversee the enforcement of state laws that license holders must abide by. Alcoholic beverage license holders must obey these laws to continue to enjoy the privileges and profits that come with their license.

Therefore, the ABC has the responsibility and the authority to suspend, deny, or revoke an alcoholic beverage license if a licensee is not in compliance with local and state laws. State Penal Code, PEN 830.2 (b), defines ABC Agents as peace officers. This means they can investigate ABC violation cases and make arrests for those in violation of the Business and Professions Code. The ABC oversees just under 95,000 wholesale, off-sale, and on-sale licenses.

What Happens if You Are Found in Violation of ABC Laws?

Depending on how many violations you have had and whether anyone was harmed as a result of the event or act in question, consequences can range from fines to license revocation to jail time. Most first-offense ABC violations result in a fine and/or a license suspension. During this time, you cannot serve or sell alcohol.

For many businesses, even losing sales for a short period can impact their business, both financially and publicly. This is especially true if your business heavily relies on alcohol sales, or if your customers come to your establishment with the main objective of consuming alcohol. If yours does, it is in your interest to call a Riverside ABC violations lawyer sooner rather than later.

Subsequent violations can be even more damaging and bring more severe penalties, and often result in conditions being added to your license. Examples of such conditions include keeping meticulous records of sales or having shortened operating hours by closing early. While these are better alternatives to shutting down altogether, business owners typically want to avoid them if they can.

When to Call a Riverside ABC Violations Attorney

Because ABC violation cases can result in temporary license suspension, fines, permanent revocation, and even potential criminal charges, it is important to hire an ABC violations attorney if any of the following occur: 

• You received a warning, citation, or letter of intent to suspend your license from the ABC.
• You have a pending investigation against you, someone has filed a complaint against you or your establishment, or you received a notice of hearing regarding your license.
• You believe your license is at stake for any reason.
• You prefer to protect your business’s reputation, don’t want to incur fines, and want to avoid revocation of your license.

Our Approach to ABC Violations Accusation Defense

Blake & Ayaz Riverside ABC violations attorneys are well-equipped to handle all types of ABC violations cases. Our experience has earned us a deep understanding of the policies, procedures, and requirements of the ABC. We can help you meet ABC standards and maintain compliance, which is crucial because once you have received a violation, your business can be subject to harsher scrutiny from the ABC. A summary of our approach includes the following:

Review the Accusation

We start with a preliminary review of the accusation made against you, your staff member, or your business. This involves analyzing any communication you’ve received from the ABC, such as letters, warnings, or citations.

Gather Evidence

Next, we ensure proper procedure was followed according to California state law and evaluate any other evidence. We conduct our own investigation to learn your side of the story. This might entail interviewing staff, watching surveillance tapes, or going over business or sales logs. We ask to see anything we feel might be in support of your case.

Negotiate and Represent

Once we have a thorough understanding of the case, we can compose an accusation defense. Then, we are ready to engage with the ABC hearing officers, agents, or investigators to negotiate terms on your behalf. In most cases, we seek reduced conditions or penalties or a case dismissal.

Appeal if Necessary

When we find that accusations were handled incorrectly or unfairly in accordance with state ABC laws, it is usually advisable that you appeal the charges. We can then also assist you with the filing of an appeal or a petition, and any other steps necessary to protect your and your business’s legal interests.

Connect With an Experienced Riverside ABC Violations Attorney

If you want a strong defense for your Riverside ABC violation case, you need a qualified Riverside ABC violations lawyer. Whether you own a restaurant in downtown Riverside or a bar in the Riverside Food Lab, you can count on Blake & Ayaz to defend your rights regarding ABC violations. We can help you get your establishment up to standards, advise you on areas that are not in compliance with state laws, and represent you amid ABC investigations.

Contact us to discuss your ABC violations or ABC compliance needs.