What are the legal consequences of providing alcohol to someone who is not of legal age?

In New York, serving alcohol to someone under the age of 21 is a criminal offense. This offense is classified as a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum punishment of one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. In addition to criminal penalties, the person providing the underage person with alcohol may also be found civilly liable. Civilly liable means that a person could be responsible to pay monetary damages to injured individuals or victims. This could include medical expenses for an underage person who became ill or injured due to alcohol consumption, or the family of an individual who died. The person providing the alcohol may also be found liable in a wrongful death lawsuit. A person found civilly liable for providing alcohol to minors may also have their alcohol license suspended or revoked. This could have a severe impact on their business, as they can no longer legally serve or sell alcohol and could lose customers as a result. Given the serious legal consequences of providing alcohol to minors, it is important to always ask for identification when selling or serving alcohol. Doing so can help protect against facing legal consequences for providing alcohol to those who are not of legal age.

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What are the legal consequences of providing alcohol to someone who is not of legal age?

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