Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, BOARD OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN
Respondent: RICHARD CORTES
Judges: LARRY J. SARTIN
Agency: Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Locations: Miami, Florida
Filed: May 19, 2004
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, May 26, 2004.
Latest Update: Dec. 24, 2024
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STATE OF FLORIDA fo
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION aA
vA 19
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND 7 PH Is pe
‘PROFESSIONAL REGULATION,
Petitioner,
WS. DBPR Case No.: 2003-077312
RICHARD CORTES,
Respondent.
/
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION,
("Petitioner"), files this Administrative Complaint before the Board of Architecture and Interior
Design against RICHARD CORTES, ("Respondent"), and says:
. 1. Petitioner is the state agency charged with regulating the practice of architecture
pursuant to Section 20.165, Florida Statutes, and Chapters 455 and 481, Florida Statutes.
2. Respondent is, and has been at all times material hereto, a licensed architect in the
State of Florida, having been issued license number AR 14236.
3. Respondent's address of record is 11221 SW 100™ Avenue, Miami, Florida
33176.
4. On or about October 29, 1998, Respondent contracted with Mrs. Virginia Sward
and Mr. Ricardo Amaldo as a Contractor to provide services on their residence.
5. At all times material hereto, Respondent was not duly registered or certified to
engage in the practice of Contracting pursuant to Chapter 489, Flonda Statutes.
6. Section 489.127(f}, Florida Statutes states that no person shall engage in the
business or act in the capacity of a contractor or advertise himself as available to engage in the
‘business or act in the capacity of a contractor without being duly registered or certified.
7. Qn or about March 3, 2001, signed and sealed as a Florida licensed architect the
log of approved inspections to comply with SFBC 307.2 for the Sward and Amaldo residence.
COUNT i
8. Petitioner hereby realleges and incorporates paragraphs one (1) through seven (7)
as if fully set forth herein.
9. Section 481.225(1)(g), Florida Statutes, states in pertinent part that committing
any act of fraud, deceit, negligence, in competency, or misconduct in the practice of architecture
constitutes grounds for disciplinary action.
10. Based upon the foregoing, Respondent has violated Section 481.225(1)(g),
Florida Statutes by signing and sealing inspection reports for a project in which he was not
authorized to perform inspections and was supposed to be acting as the contractor.
COUNT II
1l. Petitioner hereby realleges and incorporates paragraphs one (1) through seven (7)
as if fully set forth herein.
12. Section 481.225(1)(a), Florida Statutes, states in pertinent part that violating any
provision of Section 455.227(1), Florida Statutes, constitutes grounds for disciplinary action.
13. Section 455.227(1)(0), Florida Statutes, states in pertinent part that practicing or
offering to practice beyond the scope permitted by law or accepting and performing professional
responsibilities the licensee knows, or has reason to know, the licensee is not competent to
perform constitutes grounds for disciplinary action.
14. Based upon the foregoing, Respondent has violated Section 48] .225(1)(a), Florida
Statutes, by violating Section 455.227(1)(o), Florida Statutes, by performing services as a
“contractor when he was not licensed to perform such services.
| COUNT I
15. Petitioner hereby realleges and incorporates paragraphs one (1) through seven (7)
as if fully set forth herein.
16. Section 481.225(1)(a), Florida Statutes, states in pertinent part that violating any
tule of the board lawfully adopted pursuant to this part or Chapter 455 constitutes grounds for
disciplinary action.
17. Rule 61G1-12.001(6)(c), Florida Administrative Code, states it is a violation for
knowingly becoming involved in.a conflict of interest as to an employer or client without the
permission of the client.
,
18. Based on the foregoing, Respondent has violated Rule 61G1 -12.001(6)(c), Florida
Administrative Code, for becoming involved in a conflict of interest by acting as the inspector on
the same project Respondent acted as the Contractor.
WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests the Board enter an Order imposing one
or more of the following penalties: Lmposition of probation, reprimand the licensee, revoke,
suspend, deny the issuance or renewal of the certificate or registration, require financial
restitution to a consumer, impose an administrative fine not to exceed $5,000 per count, require
continuing education, assess costs associated with investigation and prosecution, impose any or
all penalties delineated within Section 455.227(2), Florida Statutes, and/or any other relief that
the Board is authorized to impose pursuant to Chapters 481 and 455, Florida Statutes, and/or the
rules promulgated thereunder.
st
Signed this _3/-- dayof__Ge+tebe- 2003.
\
Syme
ts | D equation DAVID K. MINACCI
capes and pratessional Smith, Thompson, Shaw & Manausa, P.A.
ent of BUSINES CLERK 2075 Centre Pointe Blvd.
Departm EPUTY
D . . Tallahassee, FL 32308-4893
; {M: FL Bar No. 0056774
Py pra (850) 402-1570
CLERK Ai aig 20>
DATE
cP. laste
ELECTION OF RIGHTS
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Board of Architecture and Interior Desi gn
Subject: ~ Richard Cortes
Case No.: 3003-077312 \.
T have read the Administrative Complaint in this matter and elect as follows:
CHECK ONE OPTION
1. _X___ I elect to dispute the material facts alleged in the Administrative Complaint
and request a hearing with the Division of Administrative Hearings of the Department of
Administration, pursuant to Section 120.57(1), Florida Statutes.
The Law Offices of Lee Meadows
Lee Meadows, #328871
i Paige Billings Shoemaker, #143022
403 North Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, Florida 3230]
Phone (850) 224-8873
Fax (850) 681-0139
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
] HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing has been furnished to
David Minacci; Smith, Thompson, Shaw, and Manausa, P.A., 2075 Center 1 Pointe SNE
_
Tallahassee, FI 32308 this S day of << , 2004 Serf ) ta)
2 Shem), <
The Law Offices of Lee Meadow:
Lee Meadows, #328871
Paige Billings Shoemaker, #143022
403 North Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Phone (850) 224-8873
Fax (850) 681-0139
Docket for Case No: 04-001767PL