QUESTION
What are the possible legal risks of a warehouse party?
Asked on Mar 23rd, 2014 on Entertainment Law - Tennessee
More details to this question:
I was considering throwing a party at a warehouse that I will be renting from a friend of a friend for one night. I would not be serving any alcohol and there would only be non-alcoholic drinks. However, people could bring their own. There will be under aged people there. I would have a bouncer at the door, and make it a point for them to tell everybody that no smoking is allowed inside the building and have a 5 dollar admission or donation fee to cover costs of lights and extra sounds. I would have multiple local bands who are bringing their own equipment and setups, but I am not paying them for their performance, it is just a promotion for them. Those are just the main details. I would like you to tell me the possible risks of the party if the police were to come, the charges I would have and the charges the attendees would have. Additionally, in the event of the police coming, what would be my best way to approach them if they were to ask about sound complaints, permits, or alcohol?
2 ANSWERS
As the host, you would be liable for everything illegal or harmful that happened to anyone. That includes violating state and local laws, failing to obtain required permits, providing alcohol to minors, failing to work with the utility companies to provide additional electricity and garbage service, failure to meet mandatory hygiene standards for restrooms, dealing with the inevitable illegal drug use, fights, sexual assaults, fires, drunk driving by those who attended the event, charges by the owner of the building, parking violations, etc., etc., etc. Some of these are minor violations and some are felonies with serious time in prison.
Answered on Mar 24th, 2014 at 2:34 PM
The only advice I have is this: do not host this party.
Answered on Mar 24th, 2014 at 1:39 PM