Cruzan V. Missouri

Cruzan v. Missouri

DEPT. OF HEALTH, 1990

The case

The trial

Index

Debate on euthanasia

Opinion

Nancy Cruzan, two days before her accident - January 1983

The car accident

Nancy Cruzan lost control of her car on January 11, 1983.

She spent three weeks in a coma before remaining in a permanent vegetative state.

The will of her parents

Nancy's parents want to stop the treatments and therefore the tube feeding.

Indeed, they want to respect their daughter's wishes

Nancy Cruzan, two years after her accident

The case

The trial

Index

Debate on euthanasia

Opinion

Second appeal

First appeal

First judgment

The judgment was reversed by the Missouri Supreme Court which did not want to stop the treatment.

The United States Supreme Court

A first authorization was given in the first instance

The first "right to die" case

The court found that the evidence provided by Nancy's parent was not sufficient and did not demonstrate her true wishes.

Second appeal

First appeal

First judgment

The judgment was reversed by the Missouri Supreme Court which did not want to stop the treatment.

The United States Supreme Court first confirmed the Missouri Supreme Court decision

A first authorization was given in the first instance

The first "right to die" case

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with the decision given on appeal due to lack of evidence.

So, Nancy's parents searched for new evidence of her will and succeeded in finding sufficient evidence.

After several years of debate, the disconnection of Nancy has finally arrived.

The case

The trial

Index

Debate on euthanasia

Opinion

The 14th Amendment: the protector of individual liberties

Jurisdiction over euthanasia remains with the states, not the federal government.

An act was adopted in 1997 prohibiting the use of federal funds to finance assisted suicide.

More and more rights granted to patients

The right given to the patient to refuse a treatment will be granted by the law of 1990

It's now up to the patient to decide if they needs someone to make medical decisions for them in the case of disability.

The case

The trial

Index

Debate on euthanasia

Opinion

Euthanasia is an international theme

On one hand, there are those who wish to relieve people in a permanent vegetative state.

Our opinion

On the other hand, there are those who remain hopeful that the person will recover.

There is still a lot of debate around the world, the question is still far from being settled.

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