Basic+facts

**Basic Facts**
//[|Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Dept. of Health] //


 * Who: **Nancy Cruzan, Cruzan's parents, and the State of Missouri


 * When: ** A rgued on December 6, 1989 and decided on June 25, 1990


 * Where: ** Missouri


 * Decision: **

Due to an car accident, Nancy Cruzan permanently reside in a vegetative state, living through a machine. However, her parents wants Nancy to withdraw life-sustaining treatment, which will allow her to die. The parents claims that it would be Nancy's wish under such circumstances. As result the state refused such decision. The Supreme Court agreed with the state’s guidelines for medical treatment, which stated that the withdrawal of treatment is only allowed with clear and convincing evidence from the patient. The Supreme Court stated they need to protect against abuses of such situations, in which the state can continue life support as long as its standards for doing so are reasonable.

Source: Wagner, Kevin M. " //Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health //." In Schultz, David. //Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court //. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. //American History Online //. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?

ItemID=WE52&iPin=ESC0126&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 21, 2013).