ANALYSIS: Getting Emojis Into Evidence Is No Laughing Matter

Emojis and emoticons are increasingly finding their way into court filings, prompting courts and lawyers to consider their role as evidence.

Courts have had to interpret the significance of emojis in various stages of litigation, such as sustaining a case, finding a genuine issue of material fact, and enforcing settlements.

Last week, the District Court of District of Columbia became yet another one of those courts, interpreting the significance of a moon emoji in order to sustain a securities class action.

“Emojis are symbols,” the court said. “People use symbols as ‘a primitive but effective way of communicating ideas.’” ...