Cruzan v' Director,

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Cruzan v. Director,
Missouri Dept. of Health

CADET ZENDEJAS
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• In 1983, Nancy Beth Cruzan was involved in an
  automobile accident which left her in a
  "persistent vegetative state." She was sustained
  for several weeks by artificial feedings through
  an implanted gastronomy tube. When Cruzan's
  parents attempted to terminate the life-support
  system, state hospital officials refused to do so
  without court approval. The Missouri Supreme
  Court ruled in favor of the state's policy over
  Cruzan's right to refuse treatment.

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Question Presented

• Did the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth
  Amendment permit Cruzan's parents to refuse
  life-sustaining treatment on their vegitated
  daughter's behalf?

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• In a 5-to-4 decision, the Court held that while
  individuals enjoyed the right to refuse medical
  treatment under the Due Process Clause,
  incompetent persons were not able to exercise
  such rights. Absent "clear and convincing"
  evidence that Cruzan desired treatment to be
  withdrawn, the Court found the State of
  Missouri's actions designed to preserve human
  life to be constitutional. Because there was no
  guarantee family members would always act in the
  best interests of incompetent patients, and
  because erroneous decisions to withdraw treatment
  were irreversible, the Court upheld the state's
  heightened evidentiary requirements.

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THE END