South Carolina Judge Early Doyet of the Second Judicial Circuit ruled for the state of South Carolina on a complaint by Retail Services & Systems, Inc. dba Total Wine & More challenging under state and federal Due Process and Equal Protection grounds the South Carolina law that limits ownership of retail licenses to three. In his order,…Read More
KY ABC Issues Letter Indicating Conditional Approval for ABInBev to Own Owensboro Distributor
The KY ABC issued a letter to ABI conditionally approving their license to become the owner of the Owensboro ABInBev distributor. The Malt Beverage Administrator noted that this application is “the most controversial in Department history.” As a result she listed many concerns and questions in her four page letter. She noted that much information is…Read More
Guest Column- Marijuana Debate Rekindles Discussion on How Alcohol Is Regulated
There has been much discussion surrounding marijuana regulation and a stated goal of a need “to regulate marijuana like alcohol.” The pros and cons of marijuana legalization are far beyond the scope of this column, but a deeper dive into the goals and purposes of alcohol regulation is something that is often missing from the…Read More
Lawsuit Filed in Florida Over Growlers
A federal lawsuit was filed over the much publicized 64 ounce growler issue. The lawsuit was filed by a retailer, not a small brewer. They are represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation. The lawsuit can found on their website. The lawsuit claims a violation of the equal protection and due process provisions of the 14th…Read More
New Report Highlights Safeguards in United States to Prevent Counterfeit, Black Market, Substitute, and Non-taxed Alcohol from Harming the Public
Robert Tobiassen has authored a great report examining the lack of a counterfeit marketplace in the United States, especially when compared to other nations across the globe. Mr. Tobiassen served with the federal government’s Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for 32 years most recently as Chief Counsel until his retirement in 2013. He performed his…Read More