[Download] "In Re Welfare Of William Matthew Bowman" by Supreme Court of Washington * Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: In Re Welfare Of William Matthew Bowman
- Author : Supreme Court of Washington
- Release Date : January 02, 1980
- Genre: Law,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 71 KB
Description
This is an appeal by the guardian ad litem appointed for William Matthew Bowman (Matthew) prior to Matthew's death, from the decision of the Snohomish County Superior Court ruling that because he had suffered irreversible loss of brain activity, he was in fact dead on October 17, 1979. Issues raised on appeal are: (1) whether law or medicine should define the standards establishing when death occurs; (2) if law is to define those standards, should the brain death standard be adopted; and (3) if that standard is adopted, what role should medicine have in defining the criteria for determining whether the standard has been met. We hold that it is for law to define the standard of death, that the brain death standard should be adopted, and that it is for the medical profession to determine the applicable criteria -- in accordance with accepted medical standards -- for deciding whether brain death is present. Our action affirms the judgment of the trial court.