Guns in Bars: Here Comes the Judge

9 am November 6, 2009. That’s when the Tennessee Guns in Bars law is set for Court.

A group of restaurant owners and gun permit holders has asked the Court to strike down the Guns in Bars law. If the Court agrees, guns could not be carried into bars and restaurants. At least not until the legislature returns in January of 2010.

The Court could rule from the bench on November 6. More likely, the Court will take a few days and release a written order.

In the motion, the restaurant owners and gun permit holders say the Guns in Bars law is:

Vague. You cannot tell where it is legal to carry a gun. The Guns in Bars law allows guns to be carried in restaurants with liquor licenses, but not bars. You have to be able to tell if a place sells more food than alcohol, merchandise, rooms and other things typically sold by restaurants, bars, hotels and other places that sell alcohol. Many “restaurants” make more money from booze than food.

Dangerous. Having guns around alcohol creates an unsafe place for waitresses and other restaurant employees to work. Restaurants, bars and other places with liquor licenses are required by state and federal law to have safe workplaces.

Selected legal pleadings filed in the case are available here.

Look for more posts on Guns in Bars as the case progresses.

Learn more about the group Guns and Alcohol Don't Mix.