Rhode Island § 3-14-6 - Rhode Island Liquor Liability Act

§ 3-14-6. Liability for negligent service of liquor.

(a) A defendant, as described in § 3-14-5, who negligently serves liquor to a minor is liable for damages proximately caused by the minor’s consumption of the liquor.

(b) A defendant, as defined in § 3-14-5, who negligently serves liquor to a visibly intoxicated individual is liable for damages proximately caused by the individual’s consumption of the liquor.

(c) Service of liquor to a minor or to an intoxicated individual is negligent if the defendant knows, or if a reasonable and prudent person in similar circumstances would know that the individual being served is a minor or is visibly intoxicated.

(d) A defendant is not chargeable with knowledge of an individual’s consumption of liquor or other drugs off the defendant’s premises unless the individual’s appearance and behavior, or other facts known to the defendant, would put a reasonable and prudent person on notice of that consumption.

(e) Proof of service of alcoholic beverages to a person under twenty-one (21) years of age without request for identification forms a rebuttable presumption of negligence.