2024 PA Workers’ Comp Report: Fewer Injuries, Higher Costs, and a Crackdown on Cheating Employers

by Karl Voigt On June 6, 2025, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania released its 2024 Workers’ Compensation Annual Report, and the data reveals some important - and surprising -trends for both workers and employers. While reported work injuries are down significantly, the cost of treating those injuries is rising fast. At the same time, state officials … Continue reading 2024 PA Workers’ Comp Report: Fewer Injuries, Higher Costs, and a Crackdown on Cheating Employers

Chief Counsel Joshua Prince Testifies Regarding Mental Health and Proposals Restricting Second Amendment Rights Before the PA Senate Judiciary Committee

Today, Chief Counsel Joshua Prince of the Firearms Industry Consulting Group® (FICG®), a division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., in conjunction with Psychologist H. Anthony Semone, testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committees, regarding Mental and Behavioral Health, Second Amendment and Other Gun Related Issues. You can find a copy of Chief Counsel Prince’s … Continue reading Chief Counsel Joshua Prince Testifies Regarding Mental Health and Proposals Restricting Second Amendment Rights Before the PA Senate Judiciary Committee

Chief Counsel Joshua Prince to Testify Before Pennsylvania Senate

Chief Counsel Joshua Prince of the Firearms Industry Consulting Group® (FICG®), a division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., has been requested to testify before the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee on September 25, 2019, regarding mental/behavioral health, Second Amendment rights and other gun related issues. The hearings are scheduled to be held on September 24th … Continue reading Chief Counsel Joshua Prince to Testify Before Pennsylvania Senate

MONUMENTAL Determination from ATF – Grant of State Relief Relieves Federal Prohibition Relating to Mental Health Commitments

I am honored to announce, after fighting the U.S. Government over this issue for several years, that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has conceded that a grant of state relief in relation to a prior mental health commitment is sufficient to relieve the individual of any prohibition under federal law. In … Continue reading MONUMENTAL Determination from ATF – Grant of State Relief Relieves Federal Prohibition Relating to Mental Health Commitments

President Trump and Vice President Pence to Lose Second Amendment Rights

Yesterday, President Trump stated that "[i]t takes so long to go to court to get the due process procedures, I like taking the guns early. Take the guns first, go through due process second" seemingly without consideration for what he was proposing or the impact on his and Vice President Pence's Second Amendment rights. What … Continue reading President Trump and Vice President Pence to Lose Second Amendment Rights

Major Pennsylvania Firearm Law Cases from 2017

As the year is coming to a close, I thought it important to document some of the monumental court decisions and issues that Firearms Industry Consulting Group® (FICG®), a division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., was involved in or obtained in 2017. Franklin v. Sessions, et al. - in a monumental federal case of … Continue reading Major Pennsylvania Firearm Law Cases from 2017

MONUMENTAL DECISION – Federal Court Rules a Pennsylvania 302 Mental Health Commitment Insufficient to Trigger a Disability under Section 922(g)(4)

We are extremely proud to announce that today Attorney Joshua Prince was successful in having Federal District Court Judge Kim Gibson of the Western District of Pennsylvania rule that an involuntary commitment under Section 302 of Pennsylvania's Mental Health and Procedures Act ("MHPA") is insufficient to trigger a federal firearms and ammunition disability under 18 … Continue reading MONUMENTAL DECISION – Federal Court Rules a Pennsylvania 302 Mental Health Commitment Insufficient to Trigger a Disability under Section 922(g)(4)

PRESS RELEASE: Monumental Mental Health Second Amendment As-Applied Challenge Success

We are extremely proud to announce that Attorney Joshua Prince was successful in a second Second Amendment as-applied challenge in relation to a prior mental health commitment. As our viewers are likely aware from Attorney Prince’s blog article Monumental Decision from the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania Regarding Mental Health Commitments and the Second Amendment, … Continue reading PRESS RELEASE: Monumental Mental Health Second Amendment As-Applied Challenge Success

Devastating Decision Regarding Mental Health Commitment Challenges and Firearms Rights

Late last week, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued its decision in In re: Nancy White Vencil, 90 MAP 2015, which overturned the Pennsylvania Superior Court's learned decision finding that a challenge, pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111(g)(2), to the sufficiency of an involuntary commitment was to be de novo, supported by clear and convincing evidence, where … Continue reading Devastating Decision Regarding Mental Health Commitment Challenges and Firearms Rights

U.S. Government to Withdraw Appeal in Second Amendment As-Applied Challenge Relating to a Mental Health Commitment

As our viewers are aware, I was previously successful in establishing a right to relief in a Second Amendment as-applied challenge involving a mental health commitment - Monumental Decision from the Middle District of Pennsylvania Regarding Mental Health Commitments and the Second Amendment. Thereafter, the U.S. Government filed an appeal to the Third Circuit Court, … Continue reading U.S. Government to Withdraw Appeal in Second Amendment As-Applied Challenge Relating to a Mental Health Commitment