The course has several objectives (COs), which you should be able to address by the end of the course. This assessment aims to help you understand a particular CO and assess your comprehension of the topic. Before taking the assessment, please ensure that you have completed all assigned readings for the week. The assessment will consist of eight questions, each worth five points, for a total of 40 points.

You will have 60 minutes to complete the assessment. Make sure to also complete the activity described below before taking the assessment.

The Activity

CO Assessed

Develop a legal opinion based on constitutional reasoning for a controversial case, such as physician-assisted suicide, same-sex marriage, or genetic engineering.

The Activity

Examine the Remember This box on precedent in the U.S. court system from the Week 3 Lecture. Consider the case of the right to die in America.

Preston Trident, a 35-year-old male, was involved in a severe car accident six months ago, which rendered him a quadriplegic. Despite being mentally alert and able to communicate verbally, he can only turn his head, eat, and blink his eyes. Four top neurological experts have examined him and concluded that there is no medical possibility for his recovery. Additionally, three board-certified psychiatrists have evaluated him and deemed him of sound mind, capable of making his own decisions. He requires constant nursing care and dialysis 3-4 times a week. He is a professor at a prestigious university, a working artist, and in a committed long-term relationship.

POLI 330 Week 5 CO Assessment Political Science

In the past, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized a person’s constitutional right to refuse medical treatment, including life-sustaining measures. Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health, 497 U.S. 261 (1990). However, whether a person has a constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide is a contentious issue and varies by state.

In states that recognize the right to physician-assisted suicide, such as Oregon, patients must meet certain criteria to be eligible, such as having a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less to live. Other states, such as California, allow patients to seek medication to end their lives if they are diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death in the near future. However, there are still states that prohibit physician-assisted suicide, and the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the constitutionality of such laws. Therefore, whether Preston Trident has the constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide would depend on the state he is in and the laws that govern it.

Please review the Remember This box from the Week 3 Lecture on the use of precedent in the U.S. court system. Then, consider the following scenario regarding the right to die in America:

POLI 330 Week 5 CO Assessment Political Science

Preston Trident is a 35-year-old male who was involved in a severe automobile accident, leaving him a quadriplegic. He has been examined by top neurological specialists and psychiatrists, who have all concluded that there is no hope for his recovery. After about four months in the hospital, Preston decides that he no longer wants to live due to the hopelessness of his condition. He requests to be released from the hospital, knowing that death would quickly follow without the medical services he is receiving. However, the Chief of Medical Services for the hospital refuses to release him, citing medical ethics and moral responsibility. Preston sues the hospital for his immediate release, claiming that his confinement violates the due process clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

 

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