Failure to Report a Conviction or Plea for Restaurateurs and Food Service Caterers in Orlando

Failure to Report a Conviction or Plea for Restaurateurs or Food Service CaterersIn Orlando, restaurateurs and food service caterers must follow specific rules and regulations to maintain a valid business license. One of those regulations requires licensed restaurant and catering business owners to report any plea or conviction to a crime, including criminal traffic violations, within a strict time frame. Anyone who fails to meet this timely reporting requirement may confront harsh administrative penalties that, at worst, can result in a suspended or revoked business license.

Irrespective of the criminal charge you face, as a licensed restaurateur or food service caterer, it is essential that you understand the criminal and professional consequences you may encounter. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) regulates the Division of Hotels and Restaurants, mandating that all restaurant owners and food service caterers report their case’s disposition within 30 days. Read on to find out more about these reporting obligations and how an experienced professional license defense lawyer can help.

Orlando Attorneys Advocating for Florida Restaurateurs and Food Service Caterers Charged with a Crime

Suppose you run a restaurant or food service establishment in Florida and are now facing criminal charges. In that case, it is in your very best interests to hire a criminal defense attorney who recognizes the food industry’s reporting duties and can explain the full range of consequences that accompany a plea. When you partner with a defense attorney with The Umansky Law Firm, you can be confident knowing your lawyer will devise a powerful defense strategy to mitigate the effects of criminal and administrative penalties you may face in cases like:

  • DUIs/DWIs
  • Misdemeanors, like petty theft and possession of marijuana
  • Felonies, like drug abuse violations and tax evasion
  • Criminal traffic offenses, like driving on a suspended license

When you retain our highly trained attorneys, we can also help defend your professional license from possible administrative penalties. Whether you need assistance supplying the necessary documents or writing a letter to the DBPR, we stand by you through every stage of this challenging process. Our criminal defense lawyers provide unwavering legal support so you can move ahead in your personal and professional life.

Requirements of Restaurateurs or Food Service Caterers after a Conviction or Plea Deal in Florida

Anyone who operates a restaurant or food service catering establishment in Florida must notify the DBPR if they’ve been convicted or pled guilty or no contest to a crime within 30 days of learning your case’s disposition. Under Florida Statute Section 455.227(1)(t), individuals with a business license may face disciplinary action for:

“Failing to report in writing to the board or, if there is no board, to the department, within 30 days after the licensee is convicted or found guilty of, or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, regardless of adjudication, a crime in any jurisdiction.”

To report a plea deal or criminal conviction, licensed restaurateurs and caterers must fill out a criminal self-reporting document and send it to the DBPR. Be sure to fill this document out carefully. If you have concerns or questions about any section of this report, The Umansky Law Firm’s professional license defense attorneys can advise you on this and every step of the administrative legal procedure.

Consequences of Failing to Report a Conviction or Plea Deal to the DBPR

Any licensed restaurateur or food service caterer who neglects to report a criminal conviction, guilty plea, or no-contest plea to the DBPR is subject to potential disciplinary actions that may include a suspension or loss of licensure. Suppose you have never failed to report a conviction or plea to the DBPR before as a licensed restaurateur or food service caterer. In that case, you will usually receive more leniency than you would for a repeated violation.

Remember, just because you have been convicted or to a plea deal does not mean the DBPR will automatically enforce disciplinary actions that will impact your business license. But if you fail to inform DBPR within 30 days, the disciplinary panel may be less forgiving when evaluating your circumstances. When determining the disciplinary measures to impose for failing to report a conviction or plea deal, the DBPR considers the following elements:

  • The severity of the criminal offense
  • The associations between the crime and operating a food service business
  • The threat of harm you caused to the public
  • Whether you had previous disciplinary actions on your record

Whether your crime will affect your business license and ability to run a restaurant or catering service hinges on the particular circumstances surrounding the offense. Talk to a criminal and professional license defense lawyer at The Umansky Law Firm who can evaluate your case and offer insight into your individual situation.

Call an Experienced Professional Food Service License Defense Attorney in Orlando

If you’re a licensed owner of a restaurant or food service catering business who has been convicted of or accepted a plea to a crime and is now facing disciplinary action for neglecting to notify the DBPR, do not postpone obtaining trusted and skilled legal aid. For reliable legal support defending your rights, business license, and reputation, get in touch with the experienced criminal and professional license defense lawyers at The Umansky Law Firm.

Our highly qualified team of defense lawyers includes former prosecutors, public defenders, and attorneys who have worked together with the Florida DBPR. We know that there are myriad factors for licensed business owners to weigh when indicted for a crime. With our vast knowledge of Florida’s criminal and administrative laws and 100 years of combined legal know-how, we will stand by your side through each step of this challenging process. Complete our contact form to schedule your free consultation with a professional license defense attorney today.

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    Failure to Report a Conviction or Plea for Restaurateurs and Food Service Caterers in Orlando
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