Citation for Customers Buying Drinks for Minors

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Tennessee

I am the owner and operator of a local lounge. We have had a problem with underage adults entering the premises, being marked as underage, and then having a friend purchase them an alcoholic beverage. On a routine inspection, the local law inforcement found two adults who were holding alcoholic beverages in their possession. They affirmed that they were not served in the establishment. When asking further, the minors (over 18 but under 21) asked a friend to purchase the drink for them. Now we are receiving a citation from the state board for these two minors that were in possession of alcohol. My questions are as follows:

1. Can we hold the minors financially responsible for the fine we received as we did not serve them.
2. Is that a civil suit.
3. Is there a precedence on this?

Thanks for your help!

No, the violation of the liquor laws for which you were cited was by your establishment, not by the minors. Their violation would be the MIP charges that were likely filed against them.

You should not allow minors into your liquor establishment unless they are with a parent.

You cannot go after the minors for your fine. You may be able to appeal the fine if you can show that you had adequate measures in place to reduce the ability of a minor to obtain an alcoholic beverage such as requiring a person purchasing multiple beverages to supply the i.d. of all persons recieving the beverages, training and communication among wait staff to identify minors who may be drinking, etc.

(In this post 'minor' means anyone who is not 21 years old)