Washington v. Glucksberg

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Washington v. Glucksberg

• U.S. Supreme Court
• 1997

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Washington v. Glucksberg

• Illustration
• This case illustrates conflicting approaches to
  the meaning of substantive due process.

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Washington v. Glucksberg

• Facts
• Doctors wish to assist terminally ill patients
  who are in pain to die quickly and painlessly.
  Washington state law prohibits assisting suicide.

Dr. Kevorkian
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Washington v. Glucksberg

• Prior Proceedings
• The doctors (P) are suing the State of Washington
  (D) in a U.S. District Court seeking declaratory
  injunctive relief claiming that the State law
  is in violation of the U.S. Constitutions 14th
  Amendment guarantee to substantive due process
  because it is depriving patients of a liberty
  interest (the right to choose the time and
  manner of death). . .

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Washington v. Glucksberg

• The Ps want the law declared unconstitutional
  and made void. The U.S. District Court agrees
  and rules the law to be unconstitutional and
  void. The State of Washington appeal to the U.S.
  Court of Appeals and they affirm the U.S.
  District Court. The State of Washington then
  appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Mapping the Prior Proceedings
U.S. Supreme Court
Washington
Doctors
U.S. Court of Appeals
Washington
Doctors
U.S. District Court
Washington
Doctors
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Washington v. Glucksberg

• Issue
• Is the the Washington law prohibiting physician
  assisted suicide prohibited by the 14th
  Amendments guarantee of substantive due process?
• Holding
• NO

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Washington v. Glucksberg

• Rationale
• Substantive due process requires that laws that
  infringe on fundamental liberty interests must
  serve a compelling state interest. Not all
  personal decisions are protected liberty
  interests. Suicide is one of those. The state has
  a compelling interest in preventing suicide and
  protecting the integrity of the medical
  profession. . .

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Washington v. Glucksberg

• The state must protect the sick and disabled from
  being devalued and pressured into suicide. If
  physician assisted suicide is made legal, why
  should any suicide be illegal? Is involuntary
  euthanasia next? Washingtons law is not in
  violation of substantive due process because
  suicide is not a protected liberty. Overturned.