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Magistrate finds contractor estimate violated advertising rule; invoice citation dismissed
Summary
Pinellas County presented estimates lacking a contractor license number; the magistrate fined the contractor $500 for the estimate (citation CLB‑CT24‑00340) and dismissed the invoice citation (CLB‑CT24‑00341) because the contract contained a license number.
The special magistrate found that an estimate issued by Jason Renovations (CFO: Matthew Parker Hawkins) lacked the required contractor license number and assessed a $500 fine on citation CLB‑CT24‑00340, while dismissing a later invoice citation (CLB‑CT24‑00341) because the underlying contract contained the license number.
Investigator Furlan testified the estimate and invoice presented in evidence did not display a contractor license number and introduced Sunbiz and licensure affidavits showing the registration expired on 05/12/2024. Defense counsel Gary DePuri argued the documents were private estimates and not advertisements to the public; he said the estimate was provided to a specific client. Magistrate Fuller reviewed the dates (estimate dated 10/31/2023; contract dated 11/06/2023; invoice dated 01/10/2024) and ruled the estimate citation supported a violation, imposing a $500 fine, and dismissed the invoice citation as it was part of the contract that included the license number.
