Physician-Assisted Suicide: The Anatomy of a Constitutional Law Issue

by Susan M. Behuniak, Arthur G. Svenson

Overview

Whether competent, terminally ill patients have a right to die with the assistance of their physicians or whether state and national governments have legitimate interests in forbidding the exercise of this right are the central questions around which this book revolves. In either case, essential constitutional issues as well as ethical and medical reflections enter the debate. This book, blending original sources and expert commentary, prepares its readers to enter the discussion by providing an accessible and concise introduction to the law and politics of physician-assisted suicide. Its timely appearance also sets the stage for understanding future state referenda, court decisions, legislation, and executive orders expected in 2002 and beyond.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781461705178
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	09/04/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	978 KB

About the Author

Susan M. Behuniak is professor of political science at Le Moyne College. Arthur G. Svenson is professor of government at University of Redlands.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Part I Background and Terminology
Chapter 2 Document 1.1 "The American Way of Dying"
Chapter 3 Document 1.2 "Death and Dignity: A Case of Individualized Decision Making"
Chapter 4 Document 1.3 "Physician Aid in Dying"
Chapter 6 Document 1.4 When Death is Sought ;The New York State Task Force in Life and the Law
Chapter 7 Document 1.5 "Declaration of Jane Roe"
Chapter 8 Questions for Reflection and Discussion ; Additional Sources Cited
Part 9 Part II Direct Democracy and the PAS Debate
Chapter 10 Document 2.1 The Oregon Death With Dignity Act of 1994
Chapter 11 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 12 Additional Sources Cited
Part 13 Part III PAS and the Elements of Legal Analysis
Chapter 14 Document 3.1 United States Constitution, Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1
Chapter 15 Document 3.2 Washington Revised Code § 9A.36.060
Chapter 16 Document 3.3 New York Penal Law § 125.15(3)
Chapter 17 Document 3.4 New York Penal Law § 120.30
Chapter 18 Document 3.5 Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health
Chapter 19 Document 3.6 Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey
Chapter 20 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 21 Additional Sources Cited
Part 22 Part IV The Litigation Begins: PAS on Trial in the Federal District Courts
Chapter 23 Document 4.1 Compassion in Dying v. Washington
Chapter 24 Document 4.2 Quill v. Koppell
Chapter 25 Document 4.3 Lee v. State of Oregon
Chapter 26 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 27 Additional Sources Cited
Part 28 Part V The Cases in Federal Courts of Appeals
Chapter 29 Document 5.1 Compassion in Dying v. Washington
Chapter 30 Document 5.2 Compassion in Dying v. State of Washington
Chapter 31 Document 5.3 Quill v. Vacco (1996)
Chapter 32 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 33 Additional Sources Cited
Part 34 Part VI A Change in Players and Forums: Entering the U. S. Supreme Court
Chapter 36 Document 6.1 "Supreme Court Voting Behavior: 1996 Term"
Chapter 38 Document 6.2 "The Justices of the Supreme Court"
Chapter 39 Questions for Reflection and Discussion; Additional Sources Cited
Part 40 Part VII Informing the Court
Chapter 41 Document 7.1 Brief for Petitioners, Washington v. Glucksberg
Chapter 42 Document 7.2 Brief for Respondents Washington v. Glucksberg
Chapter 43 Document 7.3 Brief for Petitioners Vacco and Pataki, Vacco v. Quill
Chapter 44 Document 7.4 Brief for Respondents Vacco v. Quill
Chapter 46 Document 7.5 Brief of the AMA, ANA, and APA et. al as Amici Curiae of the American Medical Association et al.
Chapter 47 Document 7.6 Brief Amici Curiae of the National Association of Prolife Nurses et al.
Chapter 48 Document 7.7 Brief Amicus Curiae of the National Hospice Organization
Chapter 49 Document 7.8 Brief Amicus Curiaeof the American Suicide Foundation
Chapter 50 Document 7.9 Brief Amici Curiaeof Not Dead Yet and American Disabled fro Attendant Programs Today
Chapter 51 Document 7.10 Brief Amicus Curiaeof Agudath Israel of America
Chapter 52 Document 7.11 Brief Amicus Curiaeof the American Life League
Chapter 53 Document 7.12 Brief Amicus Curiaeof Bioethics Professors
Chapter 54 Document 7.13 Brief Amicus Curiaeof States
Chapter 55 Document 7.14 Brief Amicus Curiaeof the American Civil Liberties Union, et al.
Chapter 56 Document 7.15 Brief Amicus Curiae of Law Professors
Chapter 57 Document 7.16 Brief Amicus Curiae of Americans For Death With Dignity, et al.
Chapter 58 Document 7.17 Brief Amicus Curiaeof 36 Religious Organizations, Leaders and Scholars
Chapter 59 Document 7.18 Brief Amicus Curiae of Bioethicists
Chapter 60 Document 7.19 Brief Amicus Curiaeof Gay Men's Health Crisis, et al.
Chapter 61 Document 7.20 Brief Amicus Curiaeof Surviving Family Members
Chapter 62 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 63 Additional Sources Cited
Part 64 Part VIII Before the Court
Chapter 65 Document 8.1 "Oral Arguments in Washington v. Glucksberg"
Chapter 66 Document 8.2 "Oral Arguments in Vacco v. Quill"
Chapter 67 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 68 Additional Sources Cited
Part 69 Part IX The Supreme Court Decides
Chapter 70 Document 9.1 Majority Opinion, Washington v. Glucksberg
Chapter 71 Document 9.2 Majority Opinion, Vacco v. Quill
Chapter 72 Document 9.3 Justice O' Connor, concurring
Chapter 73 Document 9.4 Justice Stevens, concurring in the judgments
Chapter 74 Document 9.5 Justice Souter, concurring in the judgments
Chapter 75 Document 9.6 Justice Breyer, concurring in the judgments
Chapter 76 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 77 Additional Sources Cited
Part 78 Part X The States Respond
Chapter 79 Document 10.1 Measure 51: The Legislature's Arguments to Repeal DWDA
Chapter 80 Document 10.2 Measure 51: Voter's Arguments to Repeal DWDA
Chapter 81 Document 10.3 Measure 51: Voter's Arguments to Sustain DWDA
Chapter 82 Document 10.4 "Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon—The First Year"
Chapter 83 Document 10.5 "Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon—The Second Year"
Chapter 84 Document 10.6 "Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon—1998-2000
Chapter 85 Document 10.7 Judge Jessica Cooper's Sentencing Statement to Jack Kevorkian
Chapter 86 Document 10.8 Assemblywoman Dion Aroner, Statement at California's Assembly Judiciary Comittee
Chapter 87 Document 10.9 Paul longmore, Testimony Before California's Assembly Judiciary Committee
Chapter 88 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Part 89 Part XI The Executive Branch Responds
Chapter 90 Document 11.1 letter of Representative Henry Hyde and Senator Orrin Hatch to DEA Administrator Thomas K. Constantine
Chapter 91 Document 11.2 President Clinton's Statement on the Signing of the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 1997
Chapter 92 Document 11.3 Letter of DEA Administrator Thomas K. Constantine to Representative Henry Hyde
Chapter 93 Document 11.4 Letter of Attorney General Janet Reno to Representative Henry Hyde
Chapter 94 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 95 Additional Sources Cited
Part 96 Part XII The Congress Responds
Chapter 97 Document 12.1Statement of Rep. Henry Hyde on the Lethal Drug Abuse prevention Act (LDAPA) of 1998
Chapter 98 Document 12.2 Statement of John A. Kitzhaber on the LDAPA
Chapter 99 Document 12.3 Statement of Thomas R. Reardon on the LDAPA
Chapter 100 Document 12.4 Statement of Thomas J. Marzen on the LDAPA
Chapter 101 Document 12.5 Statement of Senator Don Nickles on the LDAPA
Chapter 102 Document 12.6 Statement of Senator Ron Wyden on the LDAPA
Chapter 103 Document 12.7 Letter of the American Medical Association to Chairman Henry Hyde on the Pain Relief Promotion Act (PRPA) of 1999
Chapter 104 Document 12.8 Testimony of David Orentlicher on the PRPA
Chapter 105 Document 12.9 Remarks of Representative Ron Paul and Representative Henry Hyde on the PRPA
Chapter 106 Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Chapter 107 Additional Sources Cited
Chapter 108 Afterword: PAS and the Anatomy of Future Constitutional Law Issues

Editorial Reviews

This clear, well-organized, smartly edited collection of primary sources really brings the legal and political issues of the physician-assisted suicide debates to life.....

Leslie Bender

The constitutional issues surrounding the legalization of physician-assisted suicide are almost as complex as the clinical issues. Behuniak and Svenson's outstanding book provides a wealth of primary sources and cogent analysis of the legal paths thatculminated in two Supreme Court cases, Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, and the recent legal challenges by Congress and the Attorney General....

Timothy Quill M.D.

The fairly comprehensive presentation of cases governing this discourse makes it a valuable resource.

Law and Politics Book Review

A fresh, sweeping approach to this issue.

James M. Hoefler

A very useful reference and collection of materials on the vexing, timely, and on-going controversy over physician-assisted suicide.

David M. O' Brien

A good and balanced job both of covering the dimensions of the PAS controversy and of showing how the judicial process works.

Craig R. Ducat

The fairly comprehensive presentation of cases governing this discourse makes it a valuable resource.

The Law and Politics Book Review

The constitutional issues surrounding the legalization of physician-assisted suicide are almost as complex as the clinical issues.
Behuniak and Svenson's outstanding book provides a wealth of primary sources and cogent analysis of the legal paths that culminated in two Supreme Court cases, Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, and the recent legal challenges by Congress and the
Attorney General.

Timothy Quill