All of the documents that have been discussed here are all wonderful
tools. Can they ever be mandated, no. They can not even be upheld.
Every situation is different and no matter what forms you fill out, no
matter how secure one feels that "thier will" may be followed, in the
end they can all be challenged, therby negating one's time, effort and
overriding one's will.

I still highly recommend utilzing any and all of these legal directives,
however, there is no guarentee that they will be followed as one
desired.

For what its worth, a doctor told me that if you have a living will and
one family member objects to unplugging you, then they don't unplug you.
I assume its a fear of a lawsuit.

for medical advice rely on a doctor, for legal advice consult a lawyer.

For every lawyer who tells you one thing, there is another who will tell
you the opposite.

As long as I get morphine,
I dont give a ****.....

Lawyers, are making money, adhereing to a law that is not followed in
the precident cases of the courts of this land.

Any time a protest is raised to any of those documents listed, there
will be restraint and more lawyers making money, while the courts decide
whether they want use precident, set new precident or defer to a law.

In the case that a law is actually deferred to, it is still subject to
being upheld, based on the any number of human rights charges currently
under scrutiny of that law. Again more lawyers, making money.

The only time these documents produce the desired affect, is when there
is no one around to protest their validity.

i agree that it is a wise and thoughtful thing for you to do for your
family yes...but make it mandatory for everyone in the states? nope,
wouldnt go that far at all. might as.... well let me stop, ive been on a
preaching mode lately, so i'll just say mandatory, nope no thankyou.

doc

I agree with others that none of this can be mandated..I work in hospice
care and help people complete the documents but no government should be
making people do such things....smacks of big brother and 1984
(Orwellian predictions can come true)

its good to have the will and dnr and the directive but make sure you
discuss it with your family first so they get the picture and everyone
is on the same page.Myself I would appoint a POA person whom I trusted
to make sure my wishes were carried out.Making it mandatory would just
be another thing the government has its big nose in .

I don't think it should be mandatory, but it certainly makes things
easier in the long run. My husband died of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)
last year. He wrote out a will and a living will which is very important
when you have a disease such as this where you may have to be hooked up
to a respirator to breathe. He stated he wanted NO recisitation at all
if he were to stop breathing. I was stunning at first, but this was his
decision and I stood by it. I think people should have the right to die
as they see fit and putting it into writing makes the process so much
easier.

My will was drawn up and filed by my family attorney. Being i was NEVER
married to my youngins dad this cannot be challenged. I did the right
thing and for 100.00 I now have peace of mind knowing in the event of my
death my child will be provided for.