TORONTO -- One man in the 鈥淏luegrass State鈥� is likely feeling heavenly today.
Kentucky Transportation officials have been ordered by a federal judge to pay US$150,715, after losing a lawsuit against a man who was initially denied 鈥業M GOD鈥� licence plates. The money will go towards paying the man鈥檚 legal fees.
The outcome is likely a godsend to Ben Hart, who鈥檚 been waiting for the verdict for years.
In 2016, he applied for the vehicle plates but was denied because they didn鈥檛 鈥渕eet the requirements鈥� for obtaining personalized plates, obtained by CTVNews.ca. Hart, a retired postal worker, grew up religious but now identifies as an atheist, his lawyers said.
When he was denied the 鈥淚M GOD鈥� plates, his lawyers argued the state鈥檚 existing law was unconstitutional. And , the team also claimed similar plates had been approved, such as "GODLVS," "TRYGOD," "1GOD" and "NOGOD."
According to Kentucky law, the state allows people to have personalized, vanity licence plates as long as they鈥檙e not discriminatory on the basis of sex, race, religion or nationality.
In November, the judge had ruled that Hart鈥檚 plates were, in fact, speech protected by the United States鈥� First Amendment -- similar to the freedom of speech protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
On Monday, the judge ruled that Kentucky transportation officials had to pay Hart鈥檚 legal fees.
Lawyers for the state had fought the costs, which they called excessive.
They also argued that Hart鈥檚 team hadn鈥檛 proven that the Kentucky statute was unconstitutional, but that Hart had simply proven he was allowed to get the plates.
The money will go towards Hart鈥檚 lawyers, including some from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
In a joint statement from both groups in November, : "The Commonwealth does not allow drivers to say anything they want with a license plate message. That鈥檚 fine, but the First Amendment also imposes limits on the Commonwealth. And in this case, as explained below, the Commonwealth went too far."
