Help Save Creative WoodWorks LLC – A Disabled Veteran-Owned Family Business Under Attack

We never thought we’d be here, asking for help. But today, we are fighting for the survival of everything we’ve built — our business, our livelihood, and the stability of our family.

Our company, Creative WoodWorks LLC, is a disabled veteran- and family-owned small business in Oregon. For years, we’ve poured our sweat, skills, and heart into building projects, creating jobs, and serving our community with integrity.

Now all of that is being threatened by a foreign multi-millionaire LLC from Utah who came into Oregon, acted illegally as a contractor, never registered in Oregon with the Secretary of State to do business and exploited our grief to gain a profit. Filed an illegal lawsuit in Oregon as an Utah LLC is now using the court system to try and bankrupt us.

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How the LLC Played Us

The client o domestic LLC from Utah, found us on BuildZoom telling us a sad story about family struggles and painting herself as someone in need. At the time, our family was grieving our own losses of children, fathers, a grandmother, a best friend and even our personal shop with our personal memories of those we’d lost. She saw our pain and played on it.

We believed her story. We opened our hearts. Our company, started out doing her 600 sq ft addition to existing home and due to the extensive rot and damage to the structure we ended up rebuilding it so it was structurally safe. The entire existing home on our dime with her promise to repay us, giving her discounts and playing us for fools. After we submitted her an invoice for the work she falsified information to county to take us off the permit, hired other subcontractors while we were supposed to be working it out and terminated us so she would not have to pay for the repair. Turning around and a filing a CCB claim and lawsuit.

She purchased that home for $195,000. Now, after taking advantage of our labor and causing destruction of our company, she is preparing to sell it for $535,000 — pocketing the profit, and

leaving us with devastation.

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Illegal Actions Under Oregon Law

What she did was illegal under Oregon law:

• ORS 701.021 & ORS 701.026 – Prohibit acting as a contractor without an Oregon license.

• ORS 701.041 – Outlaws unlicensed contracting work.

• ORS 701.131 – Requires all contractors to carry bonds.

Foreign LLCs – Authority to Do Business in Oregon

• ORS 63.701 – Authority to transact business required

A foreign limited liability company may not transact business in this state until it obtains authority from the Oregon Secretary of State.

• ORS 63.731 – Consequences of transacting without authority

A foreign LLC transacting business in Oregon without authority may not maintain a proceeding in any court in this state until it obtains authority.

In other words,  the Utsh LLC cannot legally file or maintain a lawsuit in Oregon.

• ORS 63.733 – Contracts and liability

Even if the foreign LLC is not authorized, contracts it enters into are not invalidated. But it remains liable for fees, penalties, and back taxes for doing business without authority

The Utah LLC had none of these. As a foreign LLC, she cannot legally sue in Oregon. Yet, with the help of Portland attorney, she did.

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How We Were Silenced

When the lawsuit came, we worked immediately on our Answer. With no legal guidance and technical difficulties with Oregon’s eFile system, our filing was delayed. But the court noted our efforts. We even informed the attorney directly.

Despite knowing this,   filed for default judgment against us — a move that we believe was illegal, unethical, and dishonest.

Under the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct (ORPC):

• Rule 8.4 (Misconduct) – Prohibits dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.

• Rule 3.3 (Candor to Tribunal) – Requires truthfulness to the court.

• Rule 4.1 (Truthfulness) – Requires honesty in statements to others.

By pushing the judgment through despite our noted attempts, we believe violated these rules.

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The Impact

Over the last year we’ve had float our business with personal savings, we’ve had to let all our employees go, sell our personal belongings, and are upside down.

The judgment entered against us is for $68,000. But hear us clearly: we are not asking for that amount, because we are fighting to have it thrown out.

What we are asking for is help to keep our voices heard. To protect our CCB license and bond, and give us the chance to show the truth.

If this judgment stands, it will:

• Strip our Oregon CCB license when the bond pays out

• Bankrupt our family business.

• Erase years of honest work and reputation.

• Destroy opportunities for disabled veteran-preference projects we worked hard to qualify for.

This

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We’ve already:

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• Reported the Utah LLC to the Oregon CCB, IRS, and Secretary of State for her illegal status here doing business as a foreign llc, acting as a contractor and evading taxes.

• We have the evidence

But this legal fight needs a louder voice my husband and I have quietly living after all our loss and pain and we are running out of time. Please HELP US BE HEARD!

what we are doing

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A Call to Our Community — and to Anyone Who Believes in Doing What’s Right

This fight is not just about us. It’s about every Oregon small business that plays by the rules, pays taxes, and works with integrity — only to be exploited by foreign LLCs who break the law.

We are asking for help from our community, neighbors, and anyone who believes in standing up for what’s right.

We don’t need $68,000 — what we need is to make sure our voices are heard in court, and to stop a foreign LLC from destroying a local, disabled veteran-owned family business.

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Our Promise

We will not stop fighting. We will not let dishonesty win.

Your donation will go directly toward saving our company and defending our right to work, live, and build honestly in Oregon.

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Please, Share this with others who believe in fairness, justice, and protecting small businesses from exploitation. Together, we can make our voices heard.

With gratitude,

Nikki & Jeremy Crandall

Owners, Creative WoodWorks LLC