Archive for March 2019
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.…
Read MoreTraveling Internationally? That DUI Might Keep You Here in Maryland
When you are convicted of a DUI in Maryland, you will lose your license for a certain amount of time, based on your prior history and the circumstances of your conviction. Once you get your license back, however, you are generally free to travel wherever you wish to go – unless you’re planning a trip…
Read MoreJustices Gorsuch and Sotomayor Are Fighting for Your Right to a Trial
The Sixth Amendment to the US Constitution provides “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the…
Read MoreU.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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