Pa. Supreme Court: Legal guardians can’t pull plug on mentally disabled

ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND NEWS RELEASE
August 24, 2010 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS:  (480) 444-0020 or www.adfmedia.org/home/contact

Pa. Supreme Court: Legal guardians can’t pull plug on mentally disabled

Decision ensures life-preserving treatment for people who are not near death, ADF, allies filed friend-of-the-court brief

HARRISBURG, Pa. — In a ruling involving a mentally disabled man whose legal guardians sought the power to end his medical care, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has determined that state law requires life-preserving treatment for people who are not near death and have not refused treatment.

The Alliance Defense Fund and allied attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of 53-year-old David Hockenberry, who has had acute mental disabilities since birth, arguing that his legal guardians should not be allowed to deny him life-preserving treatment while he is not terminal or unconscious.  Hockenberry’s guardians unsuccessfully attempted to deny him temporary life-preserving medical treatment for pneumonia.

Case Name:  In re: Hockenberry

Full news release, quotes, and related media resources:

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/News/Detail?ContentID=18406

http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/4310

ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith.  Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.

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