Rinck v. Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs

588 A.2d 588, 138 Pa. Commw. 483, 1991 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 150
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 19, 1991
Docket1241 C.D. 1990
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 588 A.2d 588 (Rinck v. Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rinck v. Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs, 588 A.2d 588, 138 Pa. Commw. 483, 1991 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 150 (Pa. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

OPINION

CRUMLISH, Jr., Senior Judge.

Ronald Rinck petitions for review of a State Real Estate Commission (Commission) order revoking his real estate licenses and instructor approval. 1 We affirm the Commission’s decision.

On June 13, 1989, Rinck was convicted in the Berks County Common Pleas Court on a felony charge of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, in violation of Section 13(a)(30) of The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act (Drug Act) 2 .

The Commission subsequently issued an order to show cause to Rinck, stating that he was subject to disciplinary action under Section 604(a)(14) of the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (Act). 3

*486 On October 27, 1989, Rinck filed an answer in which he admitted the facts of the show cause order. The Commission’s counsel filed a “motion for judgment on the pleadings,” requesting that Rinck’s licenses be suspended for three years. Rinck did not respond to the motion.

On January 17, 1990, the Commission found Rinck to be subject to disciplinary action under Section 604(a)(14) of the Act and allowed him twenty days to request a hearing to present mitigating evidence on the penalty to be imposed. Rinck never requested a hearing and did not communicate further with the Commission about his disciplinary proceedings. On April 19, 1990, the Commission revoked all of Rinck’s real estate licenses and instructor approval.

On May 3, 1990, Rinck sent a letter to the Commission, which it treated as a petition for rehearing and reconsideration of the revocation order. The Commission responded by letter to Rinck notifying him that jurisdiction of his petition lies in this Court. 4

Rinck has raised numerous points of contention for our consideration, which in essence can be reduced to three issues: (1) whether Rinck waived his right to a hearing to present mitigating evidence; (2) whether he was put on notice that his licenses could be revoked as a result of the Commission’s disciplinary proceedings; and (3) whether the Commission abused its discretion by classifying Rinck’s drug conviction as a felony and thus subjecting him to disciplinary action under the Act.

First, we address Rinck’s argument that his due process rights were violated because he was not permitted an opportunity to present evidence of mitigating factors. The record contains evidence to the contrary.

Rinck was served with the Commission’s order to show cause that alleged he was convicted of a felony drug *487 charge. He was directed to file an answer to these allegations. The Commission’s order provided, in pertinent part:

If [Rinck] desires a formal administrative hearing, at which he may defend against the allegations in the Order to Show Cause or to present evidence in mitigation of any penalty which may be imposed upon [Rinck’s] license, a written request for hearing must be filed within thirty (30) days of this Order. IF [RINCK] FAILS TO FILE A WRITTEN REQUEST FOR HEARING WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS OF THIS ORDER, [RINCK] WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO A HEARING AND FINAL JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED WITHOUT A HEARING.

In responding to this order to show cause, Rinck admitted the allegations of the Commission’s order, and set forth the mitigating factors in his defense. The mitigating factors included his admission of his alcohol and cocaine addictions; the fact that he has abstained since his arrest and is now a member of Alcoholics Anonymous; and the fact that he needs his real estate licenses to earn a living. (Answer to Commission’s Order to Show Cause, October 24, 1989, pp. 2-3). However, Rinck failed to request a hearing to present such evidence of mitigating factors.

Rinck was subsequently served with a copy of the Commission’s motion, to which Rinck did not respond. After the Commission entered an order finding Rinck subject to disciplinary action, Rinck again failed to request a mitigation hearing within the prescribed twenty-day period, despite clear instructions to do so in the order. 5 The Commission argues that Rinck received ample notice of the pendency of proceedings against him, and by failing to request a hearing *488 to present alleged mitigating factors, Rinck has waived his right to present such evidence. We agree.

Second, Rinck argues that he was not put on clear notice that his licenses could actually be revoked, since the prosecuting attorney informed him that a three-year suspension was recommended to the Commission. (Petitioner’s Brief, pp. 9, 18). Once again, the record is replete with evidence to the contrary. In its order to show cause, under the heading “Penalties”, the Commission set forth the following, in pertinent part:

If the Commission finds that Factual Allegations set forth herein to be true and correct, and determines that [Rinck] has engaged in conduct prohibited by the Act, the Commission may in its discretion impose one or more of the following Penalties:
1. The revocation, suspension or other restriction of [Rinck’s] license to practice as a real estate broker in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the imposition of a reprimand upon [Rinck’s] permanent record, (emphasis added).

Rinck was thereby made aware of the range of penalties he was facing.

In its order to show cause, the Commission noted its discretion to impose these penalties and gave no indication that it was bound by a recommendation of the prosecuting attorney. While Rinck may have been content to settle for a three-year suspension of his licenses, he had no reason to believe that such a recommendation established a maximum penalty for his offenses. Vogelman v. State Board of Funeral Directors, 121 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 455, 550 A.2d 1367 (1988).

Finally, Rinck contends that the Commission abused its discretion by subjecting him to disciplinary action. He argues that under Gobao v. State Real Estate Commission, 96 Pa.Commonwealth Ct. 341, 507 A.2d 917 (1986), Section 604(a)(14) of the Act 6 proscribes only those felonies *489 that are similar to the seven offenses enumerated therein. Rinck argues that the intention of the Act, as interpreted in Gobao, was to exclude felony possession offenses from the list of sanctionable acts in Section 604(a). The Commission argues that by adding the words “or any felony” after “or any similar offense” to Section 604(a)(14) in 1984, the General Assembly did not intend to limit the number or type of felonies proscribed. We agree.

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Bluebook (online)
588 A.2d 588, 138 Pa. Commw. 483, 1991 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 150, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rinck-v-bureau-of-professional-occupational-affairs-pacommwct-1991.