Peoples Liquor v. Dept. of Bus. Reg.

DECISION The Appellants, eleven Rhode Island-based package stores holding Class A liquor licenses, appeal a Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation ("DBR") decision granting summary judgment in favor of the DBR. A DBR Hearing Officer determined that the Appellants' use of essentially the same business name violates G.L. 1956 §3-5-11(b)(1)(vi), which prohibits licensees from using "[a]ny term or name identified as a chain or common entity." The Hearing Officer found that the Appellants' business names identified them as a chain or common entity in violation of G.L. 1956 § 3-5-11(a) and…