February, 2018 | Dolan Law Firm

California’s Gun Regulations Explained

Today’s question comes from Priscilla in Hayes Valley who asks “As I would hope everybody else would be, I am outraged, sickened and angry with the senseless gun violence that we saw, AGAIN, in Florida when 17 people were senselessly gunned down by a man who was, apparently, suffering from mental illness. How can such a person get access to a gun? Is there law which limits access of crazy people to weapons? A member of my family is a gun nut and has a bi-polar disorder. He has a lot of guns and has made statements about “going postal” and “shooting up the town.” I am afraid of him going off and hurting someone. Please let me know what someone can do when they think that there is a time-bomb ticking away like this.”

Falling Debris: Negligence In Construction Zones

This week’s question comes from Dawn E. in the Mission District who asks: “I live on 23^rd Street near the construction site where two pedestrians were injured when materials were blown off the job site and onto them as they were walking by on the sidewalk. It is unfathomable that this could happen. What is the law on a situation like this?”

What Does It Mean to Die?

The case of Jahi McMath has led to an international debate on the meaning of life and death. A recent New Yorker article by Rachel Avive delves more deeply into the legal and ethical issues presented by this extraordinary case.

Thursday February 8th – A young Berkeley woman was killed when an AC Transit bus hit her vehicle as it was crossing Ashby Ave. at California Street. It appears that the speed of the bus may have been a factor as the bus pushed the vehicle down Ashby Avenue and crashed into a house. The bus was traveling westbound on Ashby Ave, while the Honda was traveling southbound on California before the collision occurred.

Berkeley Police Sgt. Andrew Frankel stated the force of the collision sent both vehicles smashing into a parked car and then into a nearby house.

The area was closed to traffic for a period of time after the crash, and reopened later in the afternoon.

Berkeley police are still investigating what lead to the collision. The Driver of the Honda Civic was identified as Kelli Zachery a 27 year old Berkeley resident.

The Dolan Law Firm Offers our condolences to Ms. Zachery’s Family and Friends.

What The Law States Regarding Human Trafficking

Joe from San Francisco writes: My wife and I learned of a great opportunity to work in a restaurant in San Francisco. We were promised “good wages” and we were excited to move to from the Philippines and start a new life in America. When we arrived in San Francisco two years ago, we were required to and continue to work over twelve hours a day and not allowed to take breaks. We also work 6 days a week. Our employer told us that we owed a debt and he began deducting various items from our wages such as transportation, interest or fines, and charges for bad behavior. We ended up with almost no salary for the hours we worked. We were also threatened with our visas having expired and being in the United States “illegally.” My employer even took our passports away. We were threatened that if we tried to leave our employer and go back to the Philippines, something bad would happen to our family there. We confided in a friend who told us that she believed that we are victims of human trafficking. What can we do? We feel trapped and do not know if we have rights.