Haafke v. Mitchell

For reasons we now question, we once held there was no liability for a dram shop operator. In answer to that holding, the legislature enacted the dram shop law, carefully setting the limits of its coverage. Only licensees and permittees were made responsible. Our opinions, cited by the majority, spelled out that we recognized the limits fixed in the statute. Now the majority seizes on the fact that we no longer subscribe to the rationale for our former common law theory. On the basis of our change of heart, it pieces around the boundaries of legislation a right of recovery against those whom…