Geer v. Stathopulos

I dissent. My brethren who constitute the majority apparently go on the assumption that the burden is upon the licensing authority to show why the applicant should not be granted a license to dispense intoxicating liquors at retail. This presupposes that every citizen is entitled to apply for a license and that the public official in charge of such matters must peradventure show why the applicant is NOT entitled to that which he seeks. In my opinion this has never been the law in this state. The granting or denial of an application for a liquor license is not the trial of a law suit. It is a…