X-Message-Number: 7140 Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 09:30:28 -0700 From: David Brandt-Erichsen <> Subject: Supreme Court right-to-die case update Wednesday, November 13 1996 Excerpted from The Washington Post and the New York Times More than 30 groups representing myriad religious faiths, medical interests and state governments filed briefs to the Supreme Court Tuesday against physician-assisted suicide, marking the first round in what is shaping up as one of the most closely watched cases before the court. Among those filing was the Clinton administration, which for the first time voiced its official opposition to the idea that a person has a right to commit suicide with the help of a doctor. Tuesday was the deadline for all "friend of the court" briefs on the side of New York and Washington states defending their laws prohibiting assisted suicide. Federal appeals courts struck down the laws as unconstitutional after challenges by physicians and terminally ill people. The court heard Tuesday from only one side of the debate because this was the deadline for filing briefs in support of the states. Briefs arguing in support of the lower court decisions will be filed next month. The two cases are Washington vs. Glucksberg, No. 96-110, and Vacco vs. Quill, No. 95-1858. [Note: the Supreme Court will hear the case in January and is expected to issue a ruling next July.] Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7140