To-go cocktails and Governor Pritzker’s statement, does it mean local control or confusion

By |2020-04-28T22:04:42+00:00April 28th, 2020|Liquor Case Discussion|

Recently I wrote about how the Illinois cocktails-to-go issue is confusing to people in the hospitality industry and is causing problems based on potentially different messages. Cocktails-to-go policy is confusing 

Based on a bulletin from the ILCC, some in the hospitality industry believe that there is a right to local control due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, […]

Catching up with subscribers

By |2020-04-26T00:54:04+00:00April 26th, 2020|Liquor Case Discussion|

 

With all apologies to my subscribers, I had a transition to a new website and the developer had a delay in bringing over the subscriber list. So, I wanted to include in this post, the blog posts you missed on the 6th Circuit’s wine shipping case.

I strive to provide the best and I apologize for […]

6th Circuit Lebamoff Michigan Wine Retailer Decision: Judge Sutton gets nostalgic for the old days

By |2020-04-22T06:40:40+00:00April 22nd, 2020|Breaking News, Liquor Case Discussion|

 

6th Circuit Lebamoff Michigan Wine Retailer Decision: Judge Sutton gets nostalgic for the old days

Judge Sutton must be one for nostalgia. In this decision he chooses to turn back the clock to a day where the late 20s rules and the dangers of alcohol flowing into the state must be stopped.

Judge Sutton resurrects the temporarily […]

6th Circuit Rules in favor of Michigan in wine retailer shipping case

By |2020-04-21T16:38:53+00:00April 21st, 2020|Liquor Case Discussion|

Judge Sutton wrote the opinion which overturns the lower court’s decision finding that Michigan’s wine retailer shipping law was unconstitutional.

Very little of the opinion dealt with Tennessee Wine’s drawing the line of discrimination to retailers.

Second, much of the justification dealt with the fact that because Indiana had no minimum pricing rules and offered quantity discounts, which Michigan […]

6th Circuit Wine Retailer Shipping Case: Part I

By |2020-04-13T20:45:04+00:00March 15th, 2020|Liquor Case Discussion|

The Untouchable Legal Team, (From left to right) Sean O’Leary, Joe Beutel, Bob Epstein, and Alex Tanford

6th Circuit Wine Retailer Shipping Case

Intro

As an amicus party and being at the table with Professor Tanford during oral arguments, I had a nice front […]

District Court dismisses challenge to California’s importer law but the battle has just begun

By |2020-04-13T20:42:02+00:00February 24th, 2020|Breaking News, Liquor Case Discussion|

Chief Judge Diane Mueller ruled in favor of California in a challenge to its laws which requires that alcoholic beverages imported into the state be consigned and delivered to a licensed importer at the importer’s licensed premises or at a public warehouse. A Florida importer, who wanted to deliver products to California retailers directly without […]

Oklahoma Supreme Court finds Oklahoma’s distribution system illegal: Are the ramifications big or are they isolated?

By |2020-04-13T21:10:48+00:00January 22nd, 2020|Breaking News, Liquor Case Discussion, Liquor Industry Insights|

In a narrow 5-4 ruling the Oklahoma Supreme Court found as unconstitutional a law requiring the top 25 brands of wine and spirits be sold to every Oklahoma distributor.

The overturned law essentially deemed null and void a 2016 constitutional amendment approved by voters which allowed manufacturers to choose a single wholesaler. (This amendment also allowed […]

Mississippi-Wine Express Oral Argument: Did the Mississippi Supreme Court get it right or are they going down the wrong road?

By |2020-04-13T21:11:04+00:00January 21st, 2020|Liquor Case Discussion|

Mississippi-Wine Express Oral Argument: Did the Mississippi Supreme Court get it right or are they going down the wrong road?

Procedural History & Introduction

The long-awaited oral argument in the Mississippi UCC/wine retailer shipping case occurred last week.

In this case, the Mississippi Attorney General (AG) performed a sting operation where AG’s agents ordered wine from […]