As a renter, you have minimal control over your rental unit and you have almost no control over the entire building. You may pay your bills on time, yet that does not mean your landlord is in good financial standing. Like with individual homeowners, if a landlord is unable to…
There are certain circumstances under which if your landlord will not fix a problem in your rental unit, you have the right to take control of the situation, pay for the repair, and deduct the cost from your next month’s rent. However, this is only an option in limited circumstances…
On February 22, a crane and concrete slab in a high-rise construction site in South of Market became unstable and were at a risk of falling, CBS SF Bay Area reported. Due to the significant dangers posed by the two-ton piece of concrete hanging 35 stories above the ground, the…
Financial elder abuse comes in many different forms, yet it often has the underlying element of undue influence exerted by a person over an elderly individual. During financially abusive situations, this undue influence results in a family member, caretaker, friend, or stranger unlawfully gaining money, real estate, personal property, or…
Evictions, or when you are required by your landlord to leave your rental unit, can happen in multiple ways. Evictions based on fault occurs if you do not pay rent or break the lease in some other way. No-fault evictions occur when you receive notice to leave the premises even…
On February 8, a long-time Berkeley resident was killed in a bicycle-vehicle accident on Sacramento Street south of Hopkins Street at around 7 in the morning, Berkeleyside reported. Motorists stopped to help and call 911, and the Berkeley Police and Fire Departments arrived quickly. A motorist attempted CPR prior to…
Katherine Jackson, 86, the mother of famous siblings Michael and Janet Jackson, came forward earlier this year claiming that her nephew, Trent Lamar Jackson, had been financially and emotionally abusing her for years. According to documents filed in court for a restraining order, Mrs. Jackson stated that Trent made himself…
In early February, a man from Newport Coast, California was charged with financial elder abuse, 19 counts of fraud, first-degree residential burglary to commit larceny, and theft from an elder after emptying the bank account of a 95-year-old woman who has dementia and resides in a nursing home. The man…
On February 7, a school bus carrying students crashed into another vehicle in Lancaster, California. The bus rolled over and hit a utility pole near East Lancaster Boulevard and 20th Street East. The accident occurred around 7:15 a.m. while the bus was carrying eight students with special needs and two…
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia decided in December of 2016 that the government can pursue criminal charges against a defendant even if that person also faced a qui tam action brought by a private individual. In the case of U.S. v. Whyte, William R. Whyte,…