Legal Issues
Written Answer
The Respondent must file a written answer to the Citation and Complaint within ten (10) days of the date the Citation and Complaint is mailed.If the written answer is mailed in, it must be received by the Registrar of Contractors within fifteen (15) days of the date the Citation and Complaint was mailed.
A preaddressed card is sent to the Respondent with the Citation and Complaint and may, but does not have to, be used to file the required written answer. (A copy of this card is also available as a download in Adobe acrobat *.pdf format for viewing and printing)
The written answer need not be a formal document but must contain the following:
- The names of the parties, Complainant and Respondent. (These will be found in the upper left hand corner of the Citation and Complaint)
- The case number. (This will be found in the upper right hand corner of the Citation and Complaint.)
- A brief explanation of why the Respondent believes its license should not be suspended or revoked as a result of this case.
- The signature of a person authorized by the Respondent to act on its behalf.
A copy of the written answer should be mailed to the Complainant at the address shown on the complaint form which will be sent with the formal Citation and Complaint.
IMPORTANT
- Failure to file a timely written answer to the Citation and Complaint is the same as admitting that you, the Respondent, committed the violations charged in the Citation and Complaint. Therefore, no hearing will be held and your license may be suspended or revoked without you having the opportunity to present your side of the case.
- Any conversations or meetings you have had with the inspector or anyone else in the agency and any letters you have written to the inspector or anyone else in the agency DO NOT COUNT as a written answer to the Citation and Complaint. Your written answer to the Citation and Complaint must be a separate written document provided to the Legal Department after you have received the Citation and Complaint.
- The time to file your written answer to the Citation and Complaint begins to run on the date the Citation and Complaint is mailed, and NOT on the date you receive it. Since the Citation and Complaint will be mailed by certified mail as required by law, you must pick up your certified mail immediately. Not picking up your mail on time is not an acceptable excuse for failure to file your written answer on time.