ALJDEC - Licensing

2025A-07885-CHC-ROC · Registrar of Contractors · 2026-02-16

IN THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

Carson Watkinson

COMPLAINANT,

v.

Crossroads Home Improvements, LLC

License No. ROC 347744,

RESPONDENT.

No. 2025A-07885-CHC-ROC

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE DECISION

HEARING: January 28, 2026

APPEARANCES: Carson Watkinson (Ms. Watkinson) appeared on behalf of

herself. No one appeared on behalf of Crossroads Home Improvements, LLC (Crossroads).

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE: Velva Moses-Thompson

EXHIBITS ADMITTED IN TO EVIDENCE: Ms. Watkinson’s Exhibits

1 through 11.

_____________________________________________________________________

FINDINGS OF FACT

On or about May 23, 2025, Crossroads agreed to remodel Ms. Watkinson’s

home for the amount of $20,612.00.

2. On or about August 7, 2025, Ms. Watkinson filed a complaint with the

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (Registrar) alleging abandonment on the part of Crossroads. The complaint provided, in relevant part, as follows:

Contractor was supposed to get permit and construct back porch by 7-18-

They have not done this.

Contractor was supposed to get permit and put in back porch. They still

have not gotten permit or put in back porch.

The Registrar assigned the complaint to one of its investigators, John Peru

(Investigator Peru).

On or about September 16, 2025, Investigator Peru conducted a job-site

inspection and substantiated Ms. Watkinson’s complaint.

On September 18, 2025, the Registrar issued a Directive to Crossroads that

provided, in relevant part, as follows:

..........................................................................

Dear Respondent:

After investigation, the Registrar determined that you failed to meet the requirements of A.R.S. § 32-1154(A), and now issues this Directive requiring you to take appropriate corrective action. Failure to comply with this Directive constitutes a violation of A.R.S. § 32-1154(A)(22) and may result in the issuance of a citation, discipline of your license, and a civil penalty pursuant to A.R.S. § 32-1154(E) of up to $500.00. You must notify the Registrar’s assigned Investigator of your compliance with this Directive prior to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 3, 2025.

RESTRICTIONS • You may not perform or hire other contractors to perform work that is outside

the scope of your license.

• If your license is currently suspended for administrative reasons1, or is inactive,

expired, or cancelled, you may not perform any corrective work nor contract in

any manner, which includes hiring other contractors to perform work, until the

suspension of your license(s) has been lifted or your license(s) has been

reactivated.

DIRECTIVE REQUIREMENTS

You are directed to remedy the following violations by the appropriate means:

Complaint Item: 1 - Contractor was supposed to get permit and put in back

porch. They still have not gotten permit or put in back porch.

Investigator’s Observation: At the time of this inspection, the City of

Phoenix has not approved the plans/ and or approved a permit for this project.

The respondent shall obtain the proper permits and complete the project per

contract. REF: (JSI PICS).

Governing Rule: Violation of any rule adopted by the Registrar; Namely

A.A.C. R4-9-108(b): A contractor shall perform all work in accordance with any

applicable building codes and professional industry standards. For work to be

performed in accordance with professional industry standards, a contractor

shall use such skills, prudence, and diligence in performing and completing

tasks undertaken that the completed work meets the standards of a similarly

licensed contractor possessing ordinary skill and capacity.

A.R.S. § 32-1154(A)(3) - R4-9-108(B) Building Codes/Prof. Industry Standards

Complaint Item: 2 - This was supposed to by done by 7-18-25. Still not done.

Investigator’s Observation: At the time of this inspection, the City of

Phoenix has not approved the plans/ and or approved a permit for this project.

The respondent shall obtain the proper permits and complete the project per

contract. REF: (JSI PICS).

Governing Rule: Violation of any rule adopted by the Registrar; Namely

A.A.C. R4-9-108(b): A contractor shall perform all work in accordance with any

applicable building codes and professional industry standards. For work to be

performed in accordance with professional industry standards, a contractor

shall use such skills, prudence, and diligence in performing and completing

tasks undertaken that the completed work meets the standards of a similarly

licensed contractor possessing ordinary skill and capacity.

A.R.S. § 32-1154(A)(3) - R4-9-108(B) Building Codes/Prof. Industry Standards

..........................................................................

Crossroads did not comply with the Directive.

On October 7, 2025, the Registrar issued a Citation against Crossroads’s

license alleging that Crossroads had violated Ariz. Rev. Stat. section 32-1154(A)(1) and (22).

The matter was referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings for an

evidentiary hearing.

A hearing was held on January 28, 2026.

At hearing, Ms. Watkinson testified on behalf of herself. Investigator Peru

testified consistently with his job-site inspection notes.

11. Ms. Watkinson explained that Crossroads failed to obtain the required permits for construction.

12. No one appeared on behalf of Crossroads at the hearing. Crossroads did

not submit a request to appear telephonically, nor a motion for continuance. Crossroads did not appear through an authorized member, employee, or attorney. Consequently, Crossroads did not present any evidence to defend its license.

13. There is no evidence that Crossroads subsequently contacted OAH to

provide an explanation for not appearing at the scheduled hearing.

14. Administrative notice is taken of Crossroad’s prior License record

on February 16, 2026. Such prior License record reflects that Crossroads’s License

No. 347744 was first issued on September 20, 2023, and is revoked.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

This matter lies within the Registrar’s jurisdiction. See Ariz. Rev. Stat.

sections 32-1101 et seq.

The revoked status of Crossroads’s license does not deprive

Ms. Watkinson of her right to prosecute the Complaint or prevent the Registrar from determining the merits of Ms. Watkinson’s complaint. This matter lies within the Registrar’s jurisdiction.

Ms. Watkinson bears the burden of proof to establish Crossroads’s

statutory violation by a preponderance of the evidence. See Ariz. Rev.

Stat. section 41-1092.07(G)(2); A.A.C. R2-19-119(A) and A.A.C. R2-19-119(B)(1); see also Vazanno v. Superior Court, 74 Ariz. 369, 372, 249 P.2d 837 (1952). “A preponderance of the evidence is such proof as convinces the trier of fact that the contention is more probably true than not.” Morris K. Udall, Arizona Law of Evidence § 5 (1960).

The preponderance of the evidence shows that Crossroads abandoned

the construction project, which is a violation of Ariz. Rev. Stat. section 32-1154(A)(1).

The preponderance of the evidence shows that Crossroads failed to

comply with the Registrar’s Directive without valid justification, which is a

violation of Ariz. Rev. Stat. section 32-1154(A)(22).

RECOMMENDED ORDER

Based on the foregoing, it is recommended that on the effective date of the Order, the Registrar shall revoke License No. 350701 issued to Crossroads Home Improvements, LLC.

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-1092.08(I), the licensee may accept the Administrative Law Judge Decision by advising the Office of Administrative Hearings in writing not more than ten (10) days after receiving the decision. If the licensee accepts the Administrative Law Judge Decision, the decision shall be certified as the final decision by the Office of Administrative Hearings.

In the event of certification of the Administrative Law Judge Decision by the Director of the Office of Administrative Hearings, the effective date of the Order will be forty (40) days from the date of that certification.

Done this day, February 16, 2026.

/s/ Velva Moses-Thompson

Administrative Law Judge

Transmitted by either mail, e-mail, or facsimile to:

Tom Cole, Director

Registrar of Contractors

Crossroads Home Improvements LLC

[email redacted]

Carson Watkinson

[email redacted]

By: OAH Staff