CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF REAL ESTATE
The California Bureau of Real Estate (formerly the Department of Real Estate), based in Sacramento, California, is under the auspices of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.
The Bureau of Real Estate oversees the issuance of all real estate-related licenses in California. Likewise, the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (formerly the Department of Real Estate Appraisers), which is also part of the California Department of Consumer Affairs and based in Sacramento, California, oversees licenses for real estate appraisers.
These Bureaus may seek to discipline or deny a real estate license if the holder or applicant has been convicted of a crime and/or allegedly engaged in acts of dishonesty or unprofessionalism. Initially the Bureau will conduct an investigation into the real estate licensee’s “moral fitness” to hold a real estate or real estate appraisal license. This investigation may include a document presentation on the part of the licensee to the BRE. These presentations are a critical part of the process and should be handled with the assistance of an experienced professional licensing defense attorney like Jonathan Turner. Since 1998 Mr. Turner has handled hundreds of such document presentations to California licensing agencies such as the BRE and Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers. Following the document presentation, if satisfied, the Bureau may drop its investigation and leave the real estate license intact.
If the Bureau does not drop its investigation, then the matter heads towards administrative hearing. A formal complaint, called an Accusation (for license holders) and a Statement of Issues (for license applicants), is issued by the Bureau. The licensee should definitely retain a real estate license defense attorney at this point who can then draft a response to the complaint in the form of a Notice of Defense and Request for Discovery.
The matter is then set for an administrative hearing in San Diego, Los Angeles, Oakland or Sacramento. Sacramento professional license defense attorney Jonathan Turner has handled administrative hearings all over California. These hearings require the expertise of a Sacramento professional license defense attorney like Mr. Turner who has handled dozens of such hearings which include live witness testimony, documentary exhibits, and unique rules of evidence (see the California Administrative Procedures Act – CA Government Code sections 11500-11529).
Mr. Turner has had excellent results in such hearings which are decided by an administrative law judge (ALJ). One such hearing of his involved a real estate appraiser who had several criminal convictions in his background, some of which he failed to disclose on his license renewal application. Despite these aggravating circumstances, Mr. Turner convinced the ALJ (and the Bureau) to allow the licensee to keep his license without him incurring any suspension.
If you hold or seek a real estate license or real estate appraisal license which is being investigated by the Bureau of Real Estate, contact Sacramento professional license defense attorney Jonathan Turner for a consultation.
LEGAL TROUBLE WITH YOUR PROFESSIONAL LICENSING BOARD?
If you received a denial of a professional license or any threat to your ability to continue practicing your profession, please contact attorney Jonathan Turner using this contact form or call (916) 471-6506 for a personal conversation.