FFRF and the ACLU of Kentucky filed suit on November 22, 2016 on behalf of Ben Hart, who was denied a personalized license plate by the State of Kentucky. Hart’s request for a personalized license plate reading “IM GOD” was rejected by Kentucky DMV officials who claimed the message was “obscene or vulgar.” However, they later said that it was because the license plate was “not in good taste.”

The lawsuit challenged certain portions of the regulations governing personalized license plates as unlawful, namely those that allowed government officials to deny plates based on vague notions of “good taste” as well as those that barred personalized plates from communicating religious, anti-religious or political messages.

Plaintiff Ben Hart sought approval of his license plate application, as well as a finding that certain provisions are invalid to the extent they allow government officials to deny personalized license plates solely because they communicate messages about politics or religion.

On April 15, 2019 FFRF and the ACLU of Kentucky filed a motion for summary judgment. On November 13, 2019 the Eastern District Court of Kentucky found in favor and granted summary judgment. The plaintiff will now be able to choose their own personalized license plate.

The case (No. 3:16-cv-00092) was before Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Case Documents:

• Complaint
• Exhibit 1: Ben Hart’s Rejection Letter
• Exhibit 2: FFRF’s Letter
• Exhibit 3: Response to FFRF’s Letter
• Exhibit 4: FFRF’s Rebuttal Letter
• KY Department of Transportation Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
• Plaintiff Hart’s Opposition for Judgment on the Pleadings
• KY Department of Transportation Reply
• Order Denying Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
• Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment
• Defendant’s Memorandum in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment
• Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment
• Hart v. Thomas Opinion