Is “Emoji Law” Actually a Thing?

The emoticon was born on September 19, 1982 when Professor Scott Fahlman of Carnegie Mellon suggested using the keyboard symbols 🙂 and 🙁 to express emotions online. This caught on, spread around the country, and eventually we were all using emoticons. However, beyond simple emojis like that, interpretations of other emojis can be rather subjective.…

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U.S. Supreme Court Rules Against Excessive Fines & Property Seizures

On Wednesday, February 20, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled unanimously that states cannot impose excessive fees, fines, or forfeitures as criminal penalties. This decision clarifies that the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits excessive fines, applies to states as well as the federal government. The ability of authorities to seize private property used in…

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