Mitchell v. Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration

What does Petitioner, John T. Mitchell, have in common with “Seinfeld’s” Cosmo Kramer? Both received and displayed on their respective motor vehicles, for a period of time, vanity license plates bearing words that had arguably scatological meanings. 1 Mitchell did not give up without a fight when the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) recalled his vanity plates; hence, this litigation.

The MVA granted in 2009 John T. Mitchell’s application for vanity license plates bearing the word “MIERDA.” Two years later, the MVA received a complaint 2 about “MIERDA” on the plates displayed on…