University at Buffalo U.S. Supreme Court Rules on Physician Assisted Suicide Cases In 1996, two [1]Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal struck down laws prohibiting assisted suicide. The appeals on these rulings were heard by the [2]U.S. Supreme Court January 8, 1997. The court unanimously overturned both Circuit Court rulings on June 26, 1997. The [3]Washington Post summary and related articles are available on-line. The decisions are available from the [4]Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School): * [5]WASHINGTON et al. v. GLUCKSBERG et al. 96-110. [6]Version for non-Javascript browsers 96-110. * [7]VACCO, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEW YORK, et al. v. QUILL et al. 95-1858. [8]Version for non-Javascript browsers 95-1858. [9]Washington Post On-line articles __________________________________________________________________ [10]Ninth Circuit Oregon On November 8, 1994, Oregon voters approved [11]Measure 16, the "Death with Dignity Act". Judge Michael Hogan issued a [12]preliminary injunction against the measure on December 27, 1994, and a [13]permanent injunction on August 3, 1995. On February 27, 1997, A three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the challenge to the law. On October 14 the Supreme Court declined to hear the challange to the law [14](Lee v. Harcleroad, #96-1824). In Oregon, the legislature asked voters to reconsider "Measure 16" in a new vote (ballot measure 51). This measure has been endorsed by the [15]Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems and is the focus of a conference at USC: [16]Physician Assistance in Bringing about Death: Can Regulation Work? Measure 51 was defeated by voters on November 4, 1997 so the law will not be repealed. The [17]Oregon Death with Dignity Act requires that the Oregon Health Division (OHD) monitor compliance with the law, collect information about the patients and physicians who participate in legal physician-assisted suicide, and publish an [18]annual statistical report. Washington State On January 25, 1994, [19]Compassion in Dying initiated a legal challenge of Washington State's prohibition against assisted suicide, [20]RCW 9A.36.060. On May 3, 1994, Federal Judge Barbara J. Rothstein rendered a [21]decision declaring the law unconstitutional. On March 9, 1995, a 3-Judge Panel of the Ninth District [22]Court of Appeals overturned the District Court (2-1). On March 6, 1996 the Ninth District Court (en banc) reinstated the District Court ruling. The [23]decision and [24]dissent are available via [25]Deathnet. [26]Second Circuit On July 20, 1994, Compassion in Dying filed a [27]complaint for declaratory judgment on behalf of 3 New York physicians and 3 terminally ill patients. On Dec 15, 1994, US District Court Chief Judge Thomas P, Griesa [28]upheld New York law prohibiting assisted suicide (penal law sections [29]120.30 and [30]125.15. On April 2, 1996, a 3-judge panel of the [31]2nd Circuit Court of Appeals struck down those laws as relates to physicians and terminally ill patients (Quill v. Vacco). The [32]decision, and [33]concurrence are available from [34]Touro Law Center and [35]Pace University School of Law. __________________________________________________________________ Supreme Court Briefs * The State of Washington's U.S. Supreme Court [36]Brief on assisted suicide and [37]Joint Appendix are available from the Washington [38]Attorney General's Office. In order to view or print this document, you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader, installed on your computer. You can get a free download of the reader from [39]Adobe Systems Inc or from the local [40]UB software archive. * [41]Compassion in Dying Briefs are available from [42]Perkins Coie. * A Brief for Bioethics Professors [43]Amicus Curiae Supporting Petition has been made available by the [44]Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health. * NEW! Brief of Amicus Curiae [45]Bioethicists Supporting Respondents. * [46]Amicus Brief submitted by the [47]Project on Death in America * [48]Amici Curiae Brief submitted by [49]Not Dead Yet * [50]Amicus Curiae Brief by the [51]International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force * [52]Amici Curiae Brief of attorneys general of 15 states * [53]Brief Amicus Curiae of the [54]American Civil Liberties Union * [55]Brief of Amicus Curiae of [56]Choice In Dying * [57]Amici Curiae Brief of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) and an ad hoc coalition of distinguished medical professionals * [58]Amicus Curiae Brief of [59]The American Geriatrics Society * Amicus Curiae briefs of [60]Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and [61]Agudath Israel of America on [62]Jewish Law website. * [63]Brief Amicus Curiae for the [64]National Hospice Organization in Support of Petitioners * The Philosophers' Brief: (Dworkin, Nagel, Nozick, Rawls, Scanlon and Jarvis Thomson) [65](Article, [66]Brief) from the [67]New York Review of Books * [68]Briefs by Mark Rothe * NEW! [69]Brief of Amicus Curiae by the [70]Family Research Council * [71]Other Briefs from University of Pennsylvania [72]Center for Bioethics __________________________________________________________ NEW! NYS Task Force on Life and the Law: [73]1997 Supplement to When Death is Sought; Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Medical Context This supplement addresses the issues raised in the 2nd and 9th Circuit Court cases. __________________________________________________________ [74]Links to Related Supreme Court/Assisted Suicide Resources __________________________________________________________________ Return to [75]UB Center for Clinical Ethics Home Page. 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