Answers to “BANNED BY THE DMV?” |
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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.
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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): |
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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]. |
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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it, but they rescinded their revocation after the news media reported the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. |
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A federal district court judge banned Virginia from banning God from
vanity plates: Pruitt v. Wilder, 840 F.Supp. 414 (E.D. Va. 1994). |
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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rescinded its revocation once it became clear that the First Amendment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. |
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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]. |
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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). |
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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) |
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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) |
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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] |
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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. |
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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) |
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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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