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CA Professional License Defense of Citations

by | Jul 1, 2023 | Administrative Law, Defense of Citations

California Business and Professions Code section 125.9 authorizes CA licensing boards and agencies to issue “citations” for misconduct.

Such citations generally entail fines ranging from $250 up to $5,000 or more. More importantly, these citations are often public record and thus may mar a professional’s licensing record. Also Boards will keep such citations in their files and likely use them in the future to enhance a licensee’s punishment for future misconduct. In short, if you are a California licensed professional such as a chiropractor, psychologist, nurse, pharmacist, dentist, paramedic, real estate broker, insurance agent, or any other professional or a business like a smog shop licensed by the Bureau of Automotive Repair, and you receive a citation, it is important that you consult with an administrative lawyer and license defense specialist like Jonathan Turner right away.

Again, a citation, beyond the fine, can ruin a CA professional’s career acting as a black mark on their licensing record. A client may think twice about using your services if your governing board’s website, be it through the CA Department of Consumer Affairs, the Board of Psychology, the CA Chiropractic Board, the CA Board of Pharmacy, the CA Board of Registered Nursing, CA EMSA, the CA Board of Real Estate, the CA Department of Insurance, the Board of Behavioral Science, the Department of Social Services, the CA Medical Board, the CA Dental Board, the CA Board of Physical Therapy, or any other CA licensing board or agency shows that you have a citation on your record. Furthermore, if you are cited by a CA Board or Agency one time, the next time you come before that Board you will likely face more serious license discipline such as a suspension or revocation.

Fortunately, any CA licensee that receives a citation has the right to contest that citation. Typically, the CA Board or Agency, most of which are located in Sacramento, CA as is the Law Office of Jonathan Turner, will afford cited persons the right to an informal conference to contest the citation as well as the more formal administrative hearing to do so.

The informal conference usually takes place at the Board’s or the CA Department of Consumer Affair’s offices in Sacramento. You have the right to bring an attorney to these informal conferences and I, Jonathan Turner, encourage you to do so. The goal at the informal conference is to convince board representatives, usually the board’s executive director, that the citation is not warranted.

You are also afforded the right to an administrative hearing to contest the citation. An administrative hearing is a more formal legal proceeding governed by CA Government Code sections 11500-11529. Having a CA administrative attorney like Jonathan Turner is a must at such a hearing as the boards are normally represented by deputy attorney generals at them.

In sum, if you get a citation from your CA licensing board, I encourage you to call me, CA administrative lawyer and professional license defense attorney Jonathan Turner. Normally, there are strict deadlines in which both the informal conference and the administrative hearing must be requested otherwise you could lose your rights to contest these devastating citations.

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.





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