No Constitutional Basis Exists to Permit a Parent to Assert for His Adult Child a Right to Die

Describes the Supreme Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division case of In re Quinlan. In Quinlan, a parent sought to suspend the use of a respirator on which his adult daughter, who was in a “persistent vegetative state,” was entirely dependent. The court held that a parent was not constitutionally permitted to assert a right to die on behalf of his incompetent adult child.