• 30
  • October
    2011

As Stephanie Rabiner writes for the FindLaw Blotter, the mix of alcohol, noise, and late nights with people of all ages can lead to brushes with the law.

Take serving underage guests, for example. If you're the host of a party with lots of booze for the taking, serving someone who is already intoxicated - not to mention underage, which can lead to juvenile charges of underage alcohol consumption - can lead to that intoxicated person going out and getting into an alcohol-related crash.

Injuries that result from the crash can then become your brush with the law, in terms of social host liability.

Now, if you are the guest, it's another story. Make sure you have a designated driver on hand if you plan on going home after the party and you've been drinking. Statistics bear out that Halloween night is the most dangerous night of the year in terms of fatal car accidents involving pedestrians.

A safe, sober ride - as well as one that stays within the speed limit - can make all the difference in a successful Halloween or one that gets you mired in the criminal justice system.

Source: FindLaw Blotter, "Halloween Laws: Keep Your Halloween Party Legal," by Stephanie Rabiner, 10/18/11