Indiana Supreme Court rules against police officer's "OINK" plate
INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana's highest court says state officials acted within their rights when denying a police officer a vanity license plate that said "0INK," which the officials deemed offensive.
The Indiana Supreme Court ruled Friday that messages on state-issued license plates amount to government speech. It cited a recent U.S. Supreme Court case that found Texas hadn't violated free speech rights by refusing a license plate featuring the Confederate battle flag.
The U.S. Supreme Court said in a 5-4 ruling in June that Texas can limit the content of license plates because they are state property and not the equivalent of bumper stickers.
Greenfield officer Rodney Vawter sued in 2013 after the plate, meant to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to his job, was revoked. A Marion County judge initially ruled in his favor, prompting the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to suspend Indiana's personalized license plate program.
Vawter had been approved for it in the past, CBS affiliate WTTV reported.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which represents Vawter, says the BMV has approved other questionable plates.