New Jersey's medically assisted suicide law only covers state residents, appeals court rules

By Fox News · Fox News

A federal appeals court ruled that New Jersey’s medical aid-in-dying law applies only to state residents, rejecting efforts by out-of-state patients and physicians to challenge the restriction. The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the state’s residency requirement, finding that New Jersey is not required to make assisted suicide available to non-residents. In an opinion written by Judge Stephanos Bibas, the court acknowledged the difficult decisions facing terminally ill patients but said the option remains limited under state law. "Death brings good things to an end, but rarely neatly," U.S. Circuit Court Judge Stephanos Bibas wrote in the opinion issued last week. "Many terminally ill patients face a grim reality: imminent, painful death. Some may want to avert that suffering by enlisting a doctor’s help to end their own lives. New Jersey lets its residents make that choice—but only its residents." New Jersey is one of 11 states, along with Washington, D.C., that allow physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults. Most states restrict the practice to residents, though Oregon and Vermont allow access regardless of residency. LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST KANSAS LAW NULLIFYING END-OF-LIFE CHOICES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN The case began when a Delaware woman with stage four lymphoma sought to use New Jersey’s law but was blocked by the residency rule. She died after arguments in the case. A New Jersey doctor who wanted to treat patients from nearby states also joined the challenge, as did other plaintiffs who have since passed away or retired. One of the plaintiffs, Dr. Paul Bryman, said he was disappointed by the ruling. "Terminal patients outside New Jersey should have the option of medical aid in dying without having to travel long distances," he said. DELAWARE'S ASSISTED SUICIDE BILL SIGNED INTO LAW, MAKING IT THE 11TH STATE WITH SUCH A STATUTE New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy , a Democrat, signed the measure into law in 2019, saying at the time that while his Ca…