Law Offices of John P. Connell, P.C.: In Massachusetts, pursuant to state law, the number of liquor licenses towns and cities are authorized to issue is capped at a certain number based upon that municipality’s population. Essentially, the law provides that one all alcoholic beverages pouring license may be issued for every thousand people in that municipality. Yet, not all Continue Reading...
Blog
Law Offices of John P. Connell, P.C.: “When it comes to wine, there is no ingredient more important than location,” explains the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origin, a petition aimed to discourage the misapplication of geographic regions on wine labels. Advocators and signatories of this petition include the regions of Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Champagne, and Chianti Continue Reading...
Law Offices of John P. Connell, P.C.: Buying wine over the Internet from nationally known websites, such as wine.com or WSJwine.com, is a complicated process. Massachusetts laws prohibit consumers from purchasing wine directly from wholesalers, out-of-state retailers, and out-of-state wineries not in possession of a Massachusetts Winery Shipment License, issued pursuant to M.G.L. c. 138, § 19F. Indeed, Massachusetts consumers Continue Reading...
The Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA Act), 27 U.S.C. §205(e), authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations for the labeling of alcoholic beverages and requires that the TTB administer those regulations in order to prohibit the use of misleading statements on labels, to assure the use of adequate information as to the identity and quality of beverage products, Continue Reading...
Law Offices of John P. Connell, P.C.: On February 5, 2014, newly elected City Council President Bill Linehan filed a home rule petition for a law that would impose a 6.25% sales tax on alcoholic beverages purchased in Boston package stores. The revenue generated from this proposed tax would be used to fund prevention and treatment programs for substance abuse Continue Reading...