ALJDEC - Licensing

2025A-09561-CHC-ROC · Registrar of Contractors · 2026-03-02

IN THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

Cristen Corupe,

COMPLAINANT,

v.

Sunset Companies, LLC

DBA: Sunset Septic Service,

License No. ROC 318466,

RESPONDENT.

No. 2025A-09561-CHC-ROC

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE DECISION

HEARING: February 13, 2026

APPEARANCES: Complainant Cristen Corupe appeared on her own behalf. Respondent Sunset Companies, LLC, doing business as Sunset Septic Service, did not appear. Arizona Registrar of Contractors Investigator Charles Riddlehoover appeared as a witness.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE: Sondra J. Vanella

EXHIBITS ADMITTED INTO EVIDENCE: Administrative Notice taken of Agency Record; Complainant Cristen Corupe’s Exhibit 6

FINDINGS OF FACT

Sunset Companies, LLC, doing business as Sunset Septic Service (“Respondent”), is the holder of License Number 318466 issued by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (“Registrar”).

On or about July 24, 2024, Cristen Corupe (“Complainant”) contracted with Respondent to install a new septic tank at Complainant’s home. The contract price was $27,319.00. On or about August 1, 2024, Complainant paid Respondent a deposit in the amount of $8,195.70.

On or about September 18, 2025, the Registrar received a Complaint against Respondent from Complainant alleging abandonment of the contract.

The Registrar assigned the Complaint to Investigator Charles Riddlehoover. After an October 30, 2025 Jobsite Inspection, Investigator Riddlehoover issued a Written Directive to Respondent dated November 19, 2025, that provided as follows:

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, December 5, 2025.

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

Complaint Item: 1 - Company has been non-responsive to attempts for

scheduling, and now says they can't refund due to economic turmoil

Investigator’s Observation: During inspection, the complaint item was not yet completed. Respondent shall complete project per original contract

agreement, properly executed change orders, verbal agreements, local building codes and manufacturers installation instructions.

On December 4, 2025, the day before the Written Directive deadline was due to expire, Investigator Riddlehoover received an email from Respondent requesting an extension of the deadline for compliance with the Written Directive. However, because Respondent had not communicated with Complainant throughout the period of the Written Directive, no work had been performed, and no settlement was reached between the parties, the deadline for compliance with the Written Directive was not extended.

On December 8, 2025, Investigator Riddlehoover forwarded the matter to the Registrar’s Legal Department. The Registrar issued a Citation against Respondent charging possible violations of A.R.S. § 32-1154(A)(1) and A.R.S. § 32-1154(A)(22).

Respondent filed a timely Answer to the Citation, and the Registrar referred the matter to the Office of Administrative Hearings, an independent State agency, for an evidentiary hearing.

The hearing of this matter was scheduled to convene on February 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. On the date and at the time set for hearing, Complainant appeared on her own behalf. Investigator Riddlehoover was also present. Respondent did not appear.

On January 2, 2026, the Registrar issued the Notice of Hearing advising the parties of the hearing date and time, and that the Office of Administrative Hearings would issue a Google Meet link for participation in the hearing. The Notice of Hearing was sent to Respondent’s mailing and email addresses of record with the Registrar.

On January 7, 2026, the Tribunal issued to the parties an Order Setting Hearing Via Google Meet. That Order reiterated the date and time set for hearing and contained the Google Meet information to join the hearing by video or phone. Respondent did not appear through an authorized member, employee, or attorney. Respondent did not request that the hearing be continued. Because Respondent failed to appear, Respondent did not present any evidence to defend its license.

Investigator Riddlehoover testified consistently with his findings contained in the Written Directive.

Complainant agreed with Investigator Riddlehoover’s testimony and findings. Complainant testified that Respondent did not perform any work on the project and emailed her on September 17, 2025, stating in pertinent part:

To be frank, Sunset Companies has been in a state of turmoil the last many months. . . . I completely understand the direction you are intending to take with no communication from us. We are absolutely in agreement to refund the deposit – however, we may need some time to just be frank. . . .

Administrative notice is taken of Respondent’s prior License record on February 27, 2026. Such prior License record reflects that Respondent’s License Number 318466 was first issued on March 16, 2018, and is active. Such prior License record also reflects that there is only the instant open Complaint, no resolved/settled complaints, and no complaints resulting in discipline against Respondent’s license.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

This matter lies within the Registrar’s jurisdiction.

Complainant bears the burden of proof to establish Respondent’s statutory violations by a preponderance of the evidence. “A preponderance of the evidence is such proof as convinces the trier of fact that the contention is more probably true than not.”

The evidence of record established that Respondent abandoned its contract with Complainant and/or refused to perform its scope of work pursuant to its contract, without legal excuse. Therefore, Complainant established that Respondent violated A.R.S. § 32-1154(A)(1).

The evidence of record established that Respondent did not complete the corrective work following the issuance of the Written Directive and that valid justification for such failure did not exist. Therefore, Complainant established that Respondent failed to take appropriate corrective action following a Written Directive from the Registrar in violation of A.R.S. § 32-1154(A)(22).

RECOMMENDED ORDER

Based on the foregoing, it is recommended that on the effective date of the Order, the Registrar shall suspend Respondent’s License Number 318466 for a period of fourteen (14) days.

It is further recommended that the Registrar require Respondent to pay the sum of $500.00 as a civil penalty pursuant to A.R.S. § 32-1154(E).

It is further recommended that if Respondent fails to pay the entire amount of the civil penalty on or before thirty (30) days following the effective date of the Registrar’s final order, the Registrar revoke Respondent’s license, effective on such deadline date. No future license shall be issued to any entity consisting of persons associated with Respondent, as defined in A.R.S. § 32-1101(A)(7), unless Respondent tenders payment of any outstanding prior civil penalty.

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, March 2, 2026.

/s/ Sondra J. Vanella

Administrative Law Judge

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

Tom Cole, Director

Registrar of Contractors

Charles Riddlehoover

[email redacted]

Sunset Companies, LLC

DBA: Sunset Septic Service

[email redacted]

Cristen Corupe

[email redacted]

By: OAH Staff