If you are planning an upcoming special event, then you need to have a proper plan in place to make sure that you are legally protected. If you don’t use the right procedures and tactics, then you could end up with a lot of legal issues to manage. Avoid getting into legal trouble by using the following tips and tricks to throw a successful party:
Permits and Licensing
Every city, state, and county has a unique set of rules with regards to permits and licensing. Many times when planning an event or one of a certain size, you need to get special permission from the government. Research your local laws and make sure everything is in accordance with them before deciding on a location. If you ever have a question about legal requirements and the laws, don’t hesitate to ask a lawyer. They can guide you through the proper steps.
Waivers
If your special event will have any activities that may cause an accident, get your attendees to sign waivers. This prevents you from a lot of the liability that you would otherwise have. After all, you can’t control all the circumstances, especially if you have some more dangerous activities. While not all parties will require this kind of safeguard, any kind of injury or issue could come back to haunt you if you don’t have them sign away their right to sue.
Alcohol Permits
If you are ever in court and it gets mentioned that the event you had planned officially allowed alcohol, you could be in major legal trouble if you don’t follow best practices for serving alcohol. When people drink and drive, they can often blame the bartender for serving them too much. And if you hired this bartender, then the liability can fall onto you as well. If you don’t have the proper permits to serve alcohol, you will get slapped with some heavy fines.
Adults Only Vs. Minors Allowed
There are special legal regulations that make penalties harsher for incidents involving minors in every facet of life. This is no different than events. Make sure that in your contracts, parents are responsible for their children at all times. Otherwise, you need to make it against the even rules to bring minors. This eliminates the chances of underage drinking, injuries, and other issues that could arise. Create designated areas in the event where minors are not allowed to go or limit where drinking is permitted in order to prevent legal ramifications. You can help decrease the risk of children finding the adult areas and activities interesting by providing entertainment. Many children enjoy water slides and similar activities in the summer, and in terms of winter, some crafts and painting activities could keep them well entertained.
When it comes to event planning, there is nothing worse than getting into legal trouble. You can plan the best party in the world, but if someone gets hurt or the government gets wind of you avoiding the laws in your area, you could be asking for trouble. So don’t take the risk of being out of a job or worse. Instead, implement the advice above and enjoy a great event without issues.