Supreme Court of Delaware

In litigation arising from a fatal car accident involving a drunk-driver, who had been drinking at a family gathering and at a bar, rulings for the bar and the host of the family gathering are affirmed pursuant to a conclusion that it was for the General Assembly, not the court, to decide whether to create a cause of action for dram shop liability or social host liability.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/01/2007
• Published 02/02/2007

Judges

• STEELE, Chief Justice., Before STEELE, Chief Justice, HOLLAND, BERGER, JACOBS, and RIDGELY, Justices, constituting the court en banc.

Court

• Supreme Court of Delaware

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Richard A. DiLiberto, Jr. (argued) and Jennifer M. Kinkus, Wilmington, Delaware for appellants., John S. Spadaro, Murphy, Spadaro & Landon, Wilmington, Delaware;  William M. Erhart, Wilmington, Delaware for amicus curiae Delaware Trial Lawyers Association., William M. Kelleher, Ballard Spahr Andres & Ingersoll, LLP, Wilmington, Delaware for amicus curiae Mothers Against Drunk Driving., James J. Haley, Jr., Wilmington, Delaware for amicus curiae Defense Counsel of Delaware.


• For Appellees:
  
• Jeffrey A. Young, (argued) Young & Young, Dover, Delaware for appellees XL Group, Ltd., Christopher John Bisaha and John Doe., C. Scott Reese (argued) and Noriss E. Cosgrove, Cooch & Taylor, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware for appellee Kathryn H. Matassa.