Popular 'In God We Trust' Plate Sparks Suit

April 24, 2007

Author: Richard D. Walton

Source: The Indianapolis Star

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/LOCAL19/704240381

Mark Studler has nothing against people expressing their religious beliefs, even on their license plates.

But the Allen County man says he also believes those folks should be treated like Hoosiers who use their vehicle tags to promote education or the environment and are charged an extra fee to do so.

Studler and the ACLU of Indiana went to court Monday to challenge a law allowing Hoosier motorists to acquire "In God We Trust" plates at no additional cost.

Backers of the plate that was introduced this year counter that it offers residents a chance to affirm the nation's religious heritage while practicing their right to free speech.

Studler, 49, paid $40 for a plate depicting an eagle and the word "environment." Of that, $25 went to a state trust to buy land set aside for conservation or recreational purposes. The remaining $15 went to the state as an administrative fee.