Columbus, OH – On Thursday, The Buckeye Institute joined the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Gilliam v. Gerregano, calling on the court to hear the case to clarify the scope of the “government speech doctrine” and end government censorship of vanity license plates. 

“Vanity license plates convey messages of vehicle owners, not the government,” said David C. Tryon, director of litigation at The Buckeye Institute. “This case exemplifies the government speech doctrine’s potential for abuse and overreach and underscores the urgent need for the high court to clarify its scope.”

In the brief, The Buckeye Institute and WILL argue that “[t]he government speech doctrine, which permits government to engage in its own expressive activity without First Amendment scrutiny, must be narrowly applied to prevent misuse and safeguard the free speech rights of all Americans.”

After driving with the license plate “69PWNDU” for more than 10 years, the Tennessee Department of Revenue revoked Leah Gilliam’s license plate under a law prohibiting plates “offensive to good taste and decency.” Gilliam sued, arguing that the statute is overbroad under the First Amendment. 

Tryon continued, “This case presents an opportunity to resolve courts’ inconsistent application of the government speech doctrine and to define its limits, ensuring it does not become a tool for censorship.”

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