From the Office of Director John Suchy
Liquor Control Division

September 20, 2017

LIQUOR CONTROL DIVISION ADVISORY

Termination or Diminishment of Distributorship Rights

The law has changed to allow for the use of certified mail as it relates to the notification requirements relating to the termination or diminishment of distributorship rights. Highlighted in bold are relevant sections of the statute.

This change is reflected in Public Act 17-77 which became effective July 1, 2017.

Sec. 30-17. Wholesaler permit. Termination or diminishment of distributorship.

(2) When a holder of a wholesaler permit has had the distributorship of any alcohol, beer, spirits or wine product of a manufacturer or out-of-state shipper for six months or more, such distributorship may be terminated or its geographic territory diminished upon (A) the execution of a written stipulation by the wholesaler and manufacturer or out-of-state shipper agreeing to the change and the approval of such change by the Department of Consumer Protection; or (B) the sending of a written notice by certified mail or registered mail, return receipt requested, by the manufacturer or out-of-state shipper to the wholesaler, a copy of which notice has been sent simultaneously by registered mail or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Department of Consumer Protection. No such termination or diminishment shall become effective except for just and sufficient cause, provided such cause shall be set forth in such notice and the Department of Consumer Protection shall determine, after hearing, that just and sufficient cause exists. If an emergency occurs, caused by the wholesaler, prior to such hearing, which threatens the manufacturers’ or out-of-state shippers’ products or otherwise endangers the business of the manufacturer or out-of-state shipper and said emergency is established to the satisfaction of the Department of Consumer Protection, the department may temporarily suspend such wholesaler permit or take whatever reasonable action the department deems advisable to provide for such emergency and the department may continue such temporary action until its decision after a full hearing. The Department of Consumer Protection shall render its decision with reasonable promptness following such hearing. Notwithstanding the aforesaid, a manufacturer or out-of-state shipper may appoint one or more additional wholesalers as the distributor for an alcohol, spirits or wine product within such territory, provided such appointment shall not be effective until six months from the date such manufacturer or out-of-state shipper sets forth such intention in written notice to the existing wholesaler by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with a copy of such notice simultaneously sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the Department of Consumer Protection. For just and sufficient cause, a manufacturer or out-of-state shipper may appoint one or more additional wholesalers as the distributor for a beer product within such territory provided such manufacturer or out-of-state shipper sets forth such intention and cause in written notice to the existing wholesaler by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with a copy of such notice simultaneously sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the Department of Consumer Protection. For the purposes of this section, “just and sufficient cause” means the existence of circumstances which, in the opinion of a reasonable person considering all of the equities of both the wholesaler and the manufacturer or out-of-state shipper warrants a termination or a diminishment of a distributorship as the case may be. For the purposes of this section, “manufacturer or out-of-state shipper” means the manufacturer or out-of-state shipper who originally granted a distributorship of any alcohol, beer, spirits or wine product to a wholesaler, any successor to such manufacturer or out-of-state shipper, which successor has assumed the contractual relationship with such wholesaler by assignment or otherwise, or any other manufacturer or out-of-state shipper who acquires the right to ship such alcohol, beer, spirits or wine into the state.

John J. Suchy, Director of the Liquor Control Division

The Department of Consumer Protection, through the State Liquor Control Commission, oversees all sales of liquor in the State of Connecticut.

 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut 06106-1630
 Liquor Control Division webpage www.ct.gov/dcp