Robert BAXTER, Stephen Speckart, M.D., C. Paul Loehnen, M.D., Lar Autio, M.D., George Risi, Jr., M.D., and Compassion & Choices, Plaintiffs and Appellees,
v.
STATE of Montana and Steve Bullock, Defendants and Appellants.
Supreme Court of Montana.https://leagle.com/images/logo.png
Argued September 2, 2009.
Submitted September 3, 2009.
Decided December 31, 2009.
Rehearing Denied March 3, 2010.
Attorney(s) appearing for the Case
For Appellants: Hon. Steve Bullock, Montana Attorney General; Anthony Johnstone, Solicitor (argued); Jennifer Anders, Assistant Attorney General; Helena, Montana.
For Appellees: Mark S. Connell (argued); Connell Law Firm; Missoula, Montana, Kathryn L. Tucker; Compassion & Choices; Portland, Oregon.
For Amici Curiae: Lance Lovell; Law Offices of Lance Lovell; Billings, Montana, Paul Benjamin Linton; Special Counsel, Thomas More Society; Northbrook, Illinois, Thomas Brejcha; President & Chief Counsel, Thomas More Society (Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation).
Nickolas C. Murnion; Nickolas C. Murnion Law Firm; Jordan, Montana, Rita L. Marker; Attorney at Law; Steubenville, Ohio (International Task Force on Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide, et al.).
Duane T. Schmidt, Attorney at Law; Alliance Defense Fund; Scottsdale, Arizona, Steven H. Aden, (of Counsel); Matthew S. Bowman (of Counsel); Alliance Defense Fund; Washington, District of Columbia (Family Research Council, et al.).
Patrick Flaherty, Attorney at Law; Great Falls, Montana, Daniel Avila; Attorney at Law; Everett, Massachusetts (Institute for the Study of Disability & Bioethics, et al.).
Jon Metropoulos; Gough, Shanahan, Johnson, & Waterman, PLLP; Helena, Montana, Mailee R. Smith; Attorney at Law; Chicago, Illinois (Coalition of 28 Bipartisan Montana Legislators).
Margaret K. Dore; Law Offices of Margaret K. Dore, PS; Seattle, Washington; (Supporting the Appellants).
Donald Ford Jones; Hohenlole, Jones, PLLP; Helena, Montana, Stephen F. Gold; Attorney at Law; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Disability Amici Curiae—Not Dead Yet, ADAPT, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, et al.).
William P. Driscoll; Franz & Driscoll, PLLP; Helena, Montana, Maxon R. Davis; Davis Hatley Haffeman & Tighe, P.C.; Great Falls, Montana; (Montana Catholic Conference).
Timothy C. Fox; Gough, Shanahan, Johnson & Waterman, PLLP; Helena, Montana; Jeffrey J. Davidson; Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP; Washington, District of Columbia; (Christian Medical Association).
Thomas A. Dooling, Beth Brenneman; Staff Attorneys, Disability Rights Montana; Helena, Montana, Andrée Larose; Reynolds, Motl and Sherwood, PLLP; Helena, Montana (Disability Rights Montana).
Peter Michael Meloy; Meloy Law Firm; Helena, Montana, Miles J. Zaremski; Zaremski Law Group; Northbrook, Illinois (American College of Legal Medicine in Support of Plaintiffs-Appellees).
Scott A. Fisk; Crowley Fleck PLLP; Helena, Montana, Robert A. Free, Katherine C. Chamberlain; MacDonald Hoague & Bayless; Seattle, Washington (Surviving Family Members in Support of Aid in Dying in Support of Plaintiffs-Appellees).
Elizabeth L. Griffing; ACLU of Montana Foundation; Missoula, Montana (ACLU of Montana as Amicus Curiae in Support of Plaintiffs-Appellees).
Byron W. Boggs; Attorney at Law; Missoula, Montana, David J. Burman, Kanika Chander; Perkins Coie LLP; Seattle, Washington, Jeremy L. Buxbaum; Perkins Coie LLP; Chicago, Illinois (Montana Legislators in Support of Privacy and Dignity in Support of Plaintiffs/Appellees).
James G. Hunt, William E. Hunt, Sr.; Dix, Hunt & McDonald; Helena, Montana (Religious Amici Curiae on Behalf of Baxter).
Scott A. Fisk; Crowley Fleck PLLP; Helena, Montana, Nicholas W. van Aelstyn; Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.; San Francisco, California (Legal Scholars Professors Larry M. Elison, Thomas P. Huff, and Erwin Chemerinsky et al.).
Lee A. Freeman; Jenner & Block LLP; Chicago, Illinois, Michelle A. Groman, Nicholas O. Stephanopoulos; Jenner & Block LLP; Washington, District of Columbia (Montana Bioethicists in Support of Plaintiffs-Appellees).
Michael G. Black; Black Law Office; Missoula, Montana, Norman H. Beamer, Aaron S. Jacobs; East Palo Alto, California (Montana Residents with Disabilities and Autonomy, Inc.).
Karen Boxx, Professor; Seattle, Washington, Vanessa Soriano Power; Stoel Rives LLP; Seattle, Washington (Legal Voice, et al.).
James H. Goetz; Goetz, Gallik & Baldwin, P.C.; Bozeman, Montana, Lesli A. Rawles; Covington & Burling LLP, San Diego, California (American Medical Women's Association, et al.).
Paul J. Lawrence; K & L Gates LLP; Seattle, Washington (Montana Human Rights Network, The Billings Association of Humanists, et al.).
Supreme Court of Montana.
Justice W. WILLIAM LEAPHART delivered the Opinion of the Court.
¶ 1 The State of Montana appeals from the Order of the First Judicial District Court granting summary judgment in favor of Robert Baxter, Stephen Speckart, M.D., C. Paul Loehnen, M.D., Lar Autio, M.D., George Risi, Jr., M.D., and Compassion & Choices; and from the District Court's decision that a competent, terminally ill patient has a right to die with dignity under Article II, Sections 4 and...
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