Answers to “BANNED BY THE DMV?”
The only plate that was issued -- and not later revoked -- by a DMV is the SATAN plate: the RI DMV issued that plate because it had lost a case involving a VNTY PL8 that said "GOD," and DMV officials reasoned that if they had to allow God on vanity plates, they must allow Satan; the motorist, however, never picked up the plate.
Here's what happened with the other plates listed in Preface 2 (the legal citations to the court cases are listed below, if the motorists have sued DMVs over their VNTY PL8S):
The motorist is appealing the dismissal of his case challenging Vermont's regulations prohibiting vanity plates with religious messages:
Byrne v. Lunderville, Case No. 1:05-CV-15 (U.S. District Court, Vt.)
[appeal pending].
FL DMV officials revoked this plate after receiving 10 complaints about it, but they rescinded their revocation after the news media reported the story, and the motorist, Steven Miles, remains a proud vanitizer.
A federal district court judge banned Virginia from banning God from vanity plates: Pruitt v. Wilder, 840 F.Supp. 414 (E.D. Va. 1994).
After receiving one complaint, the SD DMV revoked this plate, but rescinded its revocation once it became clear that the First Amendment protects this vanitized political message. The motorist, however, moved to Pennsylvania.


The motorist is suing the NY DMV, which issued, but then revoked, this VNTY PL8; DMV officials have agreed to allow the motorist keep the plate: Herwerth v. Swarts, Case No. 2:07-cv-04922-ADS-AKT (U.S. District Court E.D.N.Y) [case pending].


Missouri's DMV was ordered to issue this plate because its vanity plate regulations gave its DMV too much "unfettered discretion," violating the First Amendment: Lewis v. Wilson, 253 F.3d 1077 (8th Cir. 2001).


The Vermont Supreme Court invalidated DMV regulations that prohibited vanity plates that refer to ethnicities, and ordered the DMV to issue this plate: Martin v. State, 175 Vt. 80, 819 A.2d 742 (2003)


The Oregon Supreme Court upheld DMV regulations prohibiting any references to alcohol on vanity plates: Higgins v. Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Branch (DMV), 335 Or. 481, 72 P.2d 628 (2003)


The Nevada DMV revoked this plate, which is a play on the first name of the motorist (Stacy Moore), after receiving complaints that it could refer to the illegal drug, known as extasy: Moore v. Peplowski, Case No. A547082 (Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada) [case pending]


The New Brunswick DMV has refused to issue this plate, which is the motorist's actual last name, because it's a slang reference to marijuana. But what about Cindy McCain's MS BUD AZ VNTY PL8 -- "bud" is a slang reference to pot? If Mrs. McCain were from Oregon, she would not have been issued this plate, because it's a reference to an alcoholic beverage.


A federal appeals court upheld Vermont's refusal to issue this plate, which means, S#@T HAPPENS: Perry v. McDonald, 280 F.3d 159 (2d Cir. 2001)


The RI DMV refused to issue this plate, which is the motorist's actual last name, because, on a moving vehicle, it could be misread as a common expletive.

 

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