Alcoholic Beverage Law: Our firm has experience regarding the laws and standards associated with the regulation of alcoholic beverages. Chapters 561 through 568 of Florida Statutes, collectively, make up “the Beverage Law.”  The Beverage Law is a comprehensive regulatory scheme that addresses everything from licensure of alcoholic beverage manufacturers, distributors and retailers, to the taxation of alcoholic beverages.  Navigating this maze of regulations can be daunting without the assistance of someone who has knowledge of the process and the law.  The lawyers of Oertel, Fernandez, Bryant & Atkinson, P.A., are well versed in alcoholic beverage law and can assist you in addressing any issues you may face.

The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (“DABT”) is the agency responsible for issuing and regulating alcoholic beverage licenses.  DABT can initiate investigations into possible licensure violations upon receipt of a complaint, or through ongoing inspections of licensed premises.  If the DABT believes that a violation of the Beverage Law has occurred, it will file an Administrative Complaint (“AC”) which includes a description of the alleged violation.  Once you receive the AC, you must act quickly to protect your rights.  You have a limited amount of time in which to respond to the AC or you will have waived your right to challenge the allegations.  The failure to respond could result in revocation of your alcoholic beverage license. If your license is subject to a disciplinary action by DABT, it may be in your best interest to contact our office as soon as your learn of the disciplinary action so that we can discuss what steps to take to protect your license.

Likewise, if your goal is to obtain an alcoholic beverage license, it may be in your best interest to consult with our office well before filing an application for licensure.  Each alcoholic beverage license has specific requirements that must be met before you can obtain the license.  In order to meet these requirements, you make need to make a substantial investment prior to filing the application for licensure.  By engaging us early, we can counsel you on the requirements for licensure and the licensure process in an effort to eliminate unnecessary expenses and limit costly delays in the processing of your application.