California Judge Overturns California Medical Aid-in-Dying Law
A California judge granted a motion
by opponents of the California End of Life Option Act to
overturn the law because he said the legislature violated the state
constitution by passing it during a special session limited to health care
issues. (HT: C&C)
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Ottolia gave the state attorney
general five days to file an emergency appeal of the ruling in the case, Ahn
vs. Hestrin — Case
RIC1607135, before it will take effect.
Unless the appeals court suspends
the ruling, it will prevent mentally capable, terminally ill adults with six
months or less to live from utilizing the law, which authorizes them to utilize
medical aid in dying as a palliative care option to peacefully end unbearable
suffering.
“We respectfully believe the Court
misinterpreted the application of the state constitution to this law because
medical aid in dying is a recognized health care option,” said John C. Kappos,
a partner in the O'Melveny law firm representing Compassion & Choices,
a national organization promoting end-of-life care options that successfully
advocated for the legislature to pass the law. “Ultimately, we are confident an
appeals court will rule the legislature duly passed the End of Life Option Act
and reinstate this perfectly valid law, which the strong majority of Californians support.”
Last June, Compassion
& Choices released a report estimated that ...
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Thaddeus Mason Pope, JD, PhD Tags: Health Care syndicated Source Type: blogs
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