IN RE QUINLAN


137 N.J. Super. 227 (1975)

348 A.2d 801

IN THE MATTER OF KAREN QUINLAN, AN ALLEGED INCOMPETENT.

Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division.

Decided November 10, 1975.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Mr. Paul W. Armstrong argued the cause for petitioners Joseph and Julia Quinlan; (Mr. James M. Crowley of the New York Bar, of counsel; Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Crowley on the briefs).

Mr. Daniel Coburn, guardian ad litem, argued the cause for Karen Quinlan, an alleged incompetent (Mr. Coburn, Ms. Astrid Baumgardner, Ms. Leslie Obus, Mr. Drew Kastner, Mr. Bruce Shaine, legal assistants, on the brief).

Mr. William F. Hyland, Attorney General of New Jersey, and Mr. David S. Baime, Chief, Appellate Section, argued the cause for the defendant State of New Jersey (Mr. John De Cicco, First Assistant, Appellate Section, of counsel and on the brief; Mr. David S. Baime, Ms. Jane E. Deaterly, Mr. Daniel Louis Grossman, Mr. Robert E. Rochford, Ms. Helen E. Szabo and Mr. William Welaj, Deputy Attorneys General, on the briefs).

Mr. Donald G. Collester, Prosecutor of Morris County, argued the cause for defendant County of Morris (Mr. Collester and Mr. Bruce Chait on the brief).

Mr. Ralph Porzio argued the cause for defendants Doctor Arshad Javed and Doctor Robert J. Morse. (Messrs. Porzio, Bromberg and Newman, attorneys; Mr. Porzio on the brief).

Mr. Theodore E.B. Einhorn argued the cause for the defendant St. Clare's Hospital (Mr. Einhorn on the brief).


MUIR, J.S.C.

In his initial pleading Joseph Quinlan, father of 21-year-old Karen Ann Quinlan, seeks, on grounds of mental incompetency, to be appointed the guardian of the person and property of his daughter. He alleges her "vital processes are artificially sustained via the extraordinary means of a mechanical MA-1 Respirator." He imprecates the court grant "the express power of authorizing the discontinuance of all extraordinary means of sustaining the vital processes...

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