Professional Licensing

Study guide - Vacco v. Quill, 117 S. Ct.  2293 (U.S. 1997)

What is the question presented by the case?

Who are the petitioners?

What was the Distinct Court ruling?

How did the Appeals court characterize the relationship between withdrawal of life support?

What was the Appeals Court's equal protection problem with the NY law?

What is the key difference in the SC's view of this equal protection question?

How does the SC explain this as a natural difference?

Why is physician intent critical to the SC?

What is the "because of"/"in spite of" distinction?

What did Cruzan have to say about assisted suicide?

What are NY's reasons for banning assisted suicide?

JUSTICE O'CONNOR, concurring. *

What was the medication issue that was crucial to O'Connor's concurrence?

JUSTICE STEVENS, concurring in the judgments.

Why did Stevens see this as a facial challenge to the law?

Why did Stevens say Cruzan was about a more fundamental right than the common law right to refuse medical care?

When did Stevens think the ban on assisted suicide would be most constitutionally problematic?

What was Stevens not concerned about the impact on physicians?

What did the NY Task Force see as the ideal conditions for terminal patients?

Why does Stevens raise the issue of terminal sedation?

JUSTICE BREYER, concurring in the judgments.

What right would Breyer create?

What is the pain issue for Breyer?

When would Breyer revisit the ban on assisted suicide?