Retailers, restauranteurs, and hoteliers sometimes find themselves involved in litigation involving multiple parties. Often, when multiple parties are involved, a settlement is reached with one or more parties but not with others. In those cases, business owners and operators should be aware of a new Texas court decision concerning the confidentiality of settlement agreements. A […]
Discoverability of Settlement Agreements in Multiparty Cases
Shaken and Stirred: Federal Court Declares Texas Alcohol Laws Unconstitutional
On Tuesday, United States District Judge Robert Pittman issued a fifty-page order that will likely have a profound impact on retailers that currently sell or are looking to sell alcoholic beverages in Texas. The lawsuit, brought in 2015 by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., along with three of its subsidiaries, challenged the constitutionality of four Texas statutes […]
Overview Of Alcohol Liability In Texas – Part III (Sale To Minors)
This is the third article in a series of posts addressing alcohol or dram shop liability in Texas. You can find the first post here , and the second post here. In our previous blog posts, we have discussed potential liability for the over-service of alcohol to an adult. In this post, we address liability for providing […]
May I See Your ID?
On January 1, 2018, a new Texas law went into effect permitting a merchant to request a government-issued photo identification to verify the identity of a credit or debit card user – and decline the transaction if the buyer refuses to show it. The new law is not mandatory. The law does not require a […]
Proposed DOL Tip Pool Regulations: Good News (or not?)
Tip pooling in the hospitality industry has long been a method of increasing pay to certain employees and to allow the employer to pay lower “wages” than would otherwise be required. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), an employer may pay tipped employees a cash wage as little as $2.13 per hour (instead of […]
Sticks and Bricks may not bother Amazon, but the Words “Exclusive Use” Can Hurt Them
It is no secret that the advent of online commerce has eroded the value of retail properties for landlords and tenants alike. Brick and mortar – or stick and brick – retailers have been steadily losing market share to online giants such as the ubiquitous Amazon.com, amongst others, who are able to leverage lower overhead, […]
Hotel Security Reexamined After Las Vegas Shooting
Following the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas hoteliers are taking a second look at balancing guest security with a welcoming atmosphere. Some have described security in the hospitality industry as a “conundrum” because “the concept of hospitality is almost directly contrary to that of security. Hotel operators want their guests to feel welcome, accommodated, […]
Overview of Alcohol Liability in Texas – Part II
This is the second in a series of posts addressing alcohol or dram shop liability in Texas. You can find the first post here https://buyeatstaylaw.com/2017/07/19/overview-alcohol-liability-texas-part/ In order to be liable for the alleged over-service of alcohol to a customer, an establishment must be classified as a “provider” under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. That begs […]
Hurricane Harvey’s Untold Impact on Texas Businesses
In an era where retailers face mounting pressures forcing increased store closings and bankruptcy filings, the full impact on the industry in the wake of devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey is still unfolding. A preliminary estimate by Moody’s Analytics places damages from Harvey at between $86 billion and $108 billion, with between $8 billion and […]
Hurricanes: What Does Force Majeure Mean to My Business?
By now, the names Harvey and Irma have become synonymous with havoc and destruction. Aside from the devastating effects of these storms on personal property, they also caused businesses to grind to a halt. Flooding, loss of business inventory, irreparable structural damage, loss of power and other essential services, and forced closure of retail stores, […]