The typical liquor license protest will usually involve a neighbor who is concerned about the new business entering the neighborhood. They may be worried that the business could bring unwanted traffic or noise to the area or in some way that it might disturb the peace. Normally, by sitting down with the party filing the objection, conditions can be agreed upon which ultimately result in a resolution.
However, there are instances where the protest is filed by a competing business. In these cases, the competitor feels threatened by the proposed new business and they are using the ABC as a way to delay or prevent legal competition. This is an abuse of the process and although we will typically prevail, they can cost you expensive and lengthy delays. Our goal in this situation is to act on your behalf to resolve the issue as fast as possible.
There are occasions where the ABC may step in and attempt to negotiate with both parties in order reach an agreement.
Because of our years of experience orchestrating the sale and transfer of liquor licenses in the state of California, we have seen nearly every type of protest imaginable. Our expertise in drafting conditions and working with applicants, protestants, and the ABC assures that you will have the finest representation possible leading to resolution without undue delay.
