Why Does Wisconsin need a Dram Shop Law?
February 2026
Wisconsin consistenly ranks among the highest states for drunk driving fatalities and alcohol-related harms. The time has come for this ranking to change. The adoption of a dram shop law would be a vital, common sense tool to increase public safety and assist those who are injured to achieve justice.
A dram shop law is a statute that would create liability for licensed alcohol vendors like taverns, restaurants, bars and liquor stores who illegally sell alcohol to minors or obviously intoxicated persons, when the sale results in injury or death. The term "dram" is an old unit of measurement that was used for the sale of spirits. The old-fashioned term is a reminder of when the laws were first introduced into our nation to address the problem of serving practices that were not repsonsible.
A dram shop law would provide an additional avenue of recovery when a drunk driver causes injury or death to another. A dram shop law would allow a recovery against the commercial establishment whose illegal sale contributes to the death or injury.
A dram shop law would serve to create a powerful incentive for responsible service by those who serve alcohol. The threat of liablity would serve to create a practice of safely serving alcohol. This would result in additonal training of servers to avoid the consequences of liability.
If you have been injured due to a drunk driver, take the time to seek experienced trial counsel. We have been assisting the victims of drunk driving for over 75 years.