A New Hampshire man is fighting for what he considers his First Amendment right to have a vanity license plate that reads ‘COPSLIE.’ He has taken the fight to the state’s Supreme Court and has lawyers for the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union supporting him.
David Montenegro, who is now legally known as “Human,” has hoped to get the phrase on a plate to show his distaste for the government. However, the Department of Motor Vehicles considered it offensive and refused to approve it, reports CBS Boston.
Human told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 that the DMV’s “regulation that prohibits vanity license plates which contain messages the DMV believes a reasonable person would find offensive” is unconstitutional.
The New Hampshire ACLU agreed, saying that the regulation was too vague.
During arguments in court, Chief Justice Linda Dalianis, seemed to agree. “So if a person at DMV agrees with the sentiment, he gets the plate?” she asked Senior Assistant Attorney General Richard Head, reports the Associated Press.
Justice Carol Ann Conboy added, “What is good taste? That seems to be the nub of the argument.”
Head said that the DMV did make the right decision back in 2010, when Human first made the request. He said that it insulted an entire group, police officers in this case. Then, he told Justice Gary Hicks that ‘COPSLIE’ wasn’t an opinion, but an accusation.
The ACLU’s attorneys argued that the phrase was a viewpoint and political speech that should not be suppressed.
Human said after the hearing that he was confident that the court would rule in his favor. He did admit to being arrested twice in the past.
The court will make its ruling at a later date.