January 28, 2005
‘JOHN316’ License Plate Deep-Sixed by State Agency
By Allie Martin
January 27, 2005
AgapePress
A Vermont man has sued that state’s Department of Motor Vehicles after his application to have a personalized license plate with a Christian message was rejected.
Last April, Shawn Byrne submitted an application for a personalized plate inscribed with ‘JOHN316.’ In May, he received a letter from the DMV informing him that the inscription was ‘deemed to be a combination that refers to deity and has been denied based on that reason.’ On appeal, an administrative law judge upheld the DMV’s position because the statute governing the license plate program prohibits combinations that refer to ‘deity,’ among other things.