Hemphill v. Contractors' State License Board

334 P.2d 287, 167 Cal. App. 2d 340, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 2336
California Court of Appeal·Decided January 26, 1959·No. Civ. No. 23271·Published

Opinion

VALLEE, J.

Appeal by petitioner, Raymond M. Hemp-hill, from a judgment denying a writ of mandate to compel the Contractors’ State License Board to restore petitioner’s contractor’s license.

Since November 1953 petitioner has been licensed by the board as a general building contractor. On May 24, 1956, an accusation was filed by an investigator of the board wherein Hemphill was charged with having improperly diverted funds received under the terms of a written contract for the construction of a single family residence and garage; departing from plans and specifications in seven instances to the prejudice of the owners, Robert H. and Florence Rosenberg; fail[341] ing to complete construction for the price stated in the contract; and presenting false statements to Mr. Rosenberg for labor and materials in violation of sections 7108, 7109, 7113 and 7116 of the Business and Professions Code.

A hearing was conducted by a hearing officer, after which he found that Hemphill had violated section 71161 in that he breached his fiduciary duty to the owner with the intent of making a secret and undisclosed profit by submitting false statements for materials and services rendered and by permitting subcontractors to wilfully deviate from the plans and specifications to the material prejudice of the owner. The hearing officer recommended revocation of Hemphill’s license and his recommendation was adopted by the board.

It was stipulated that at all times mentioned in the accusation Hemphill was acting as and in the capacity of a contractor under the provisions of chapter 9, division 3, of the Business and Professions Code.

Hemphill petitioned the superior court for a writ of mandate. The court found that the decision and order of the board are supported by the weight of the evidence. Judgment followed denying the writ. Hemphill appeals.

In his brief Hemphill concedes he was acting as a contractor in his relationship with the Rosenbergs. As pointed out, he so stipulated before the hearing officer and the latter so found. Hemphill takes the inconsistent position that he might be exempt from disciplinary proceedings on the theory he acted as an employee of the Rosenbergs rather than as a contractor, and therefore the board was without jurisdiction to discipline him. (See Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7053.) In view of the stipulation, the point is without merit.

The question is solely whether the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to respondents, sustains the finding of the trial court. (Manning v. Watson, 108 Cal.App.2d 705, 712 [239 P.2d 688].)

The written contract entered into between Hemphill and the Rosenbergs provided that bids had been obtained from subcontractors as per plans and specifications; Hemphill would act as owners’ agent and supervisor of construction with diligence until completion; the owners would pay all subcontractor and material supply bills approved by Hemp-[342] hill; and the total cost of the bids and supervision was not to exceed $23,620.44.

Rosenberg testified that at the time the contract was executed it was orally agreed that Hemphill would supervise construction for $1,200, payable $100 a week. He stated Hemp-hill, who drafted the contract, told him he did not want to set this out in the writing because he did not want the subcontractors to know he was doing the job under a supervisory arrangement as they would not approve of it.

Construction commenced about January 28, 1955. Hemp-hill hired the subcontractors and controlled the work, and for a period of 12 weeks from January 28 to April 23 received $100 a week from Rosenberg. Hemphill paid the subcontractors ’ bills and obtained waivers of liens for material and labor furnished. Hemphill never presented the bills to Rosenberg until after his discharge when demand was made on him for them by Rosenberg. Instead, he prepared and submitted to Rosenberg 11 written statements itemizing the cost of labor and materials furnished by the subcontractors. He admitted that a number of items in the statements were in excess of the amounts he had actually paid to the subcontractors. They were as follows:

Amount paid
Amount claimed Amount paid subcontractors
Type of -work: by Hemphill: by Eosenberg: by Hemphill:
Rough carpentry.......$1,775.00 $1,775.00 $1,390.00
Sewer work............ 300.00 300.00 234.00
Metal work............ 214.00 214.00 107.50
Roof ................. 960.00 960.00 810.00
Sliding door............ 241.00 241.00 172.68
Cabinets .............. 1,045.00 1,045.00 855.95
Garage door............ 75.00 75.00 58.50
Hardwood Flooring..... 503.00 503.00 471.00

According to Hemphill his billing practice was to determine in his own mind when he was going to be billed by the subcontractors for the work then in progress, refer back to his original cost breakdown and bill Rosenberg according to his estimate of the percentage of work done and the estimated cost in the breakdown, so that he would receive the money from Rosenberg in advance of billings by the subcontractors. After receipt of bills from subcontractors for completed work and materials furnished, Hemphill gave no credits and made no adjustments on any of the later statements to Rosenberg, with one minor exception in which he credited Rosenberg with [343] $11.37 as an “adjustment on Med. Cab.” which he had billed at $73.37 to Rosenberg the previous week.

In reliance on the statements, Rosenberg gave Hemphill checks for the amounts shown thereon to be due. On June 20, at the request of Rosenberg, Hemphill had a cost breakdown prepared for Rosenberg to submit to a bank in applying for a loan to complete construction. It contained items under the headings “Payments to Sub-Contractors as of June 20, 1955 ...” and “Estimated Amount Needed to Complete,” reflecting the same false figures (except for a sliding door), as appeared in the statements previously submitted to Rosenberg. Hemphill admitted the figures were not correct but stated that he put them down anyhow with knowledge that the document would be submitted to the bank and that the bank would probably rely thereon.

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Hemphill v. Contractors' State License Board, 334 P.2d 287, 167 Cal. App. 2d 340, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 2336 (Cal. Ct. App. 1959).

334 P.2d 287 (Hemphill v. Contractors' State License Board) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Manning v. Watson
239 P.2d 688 (California Court of Appeal, 1952)