[Modernman]

That's a very fine distinction. He needed the court to authorize it. If not, then why even involve the court at all?

I'm not totally familiar with the background, but didn't his in-laws sue to prevent him from removing the feeding tube?

[syriacus]

He needed the court to authorize it. If not, then why even involve the court at all?

What scared me was that (I thought) Greer could only "permit" Michael to have the tube removed. Then, hypothetically, Michael could have chosen whether or not to have the tube removed. Michael is supposedly in charge...not Greer.

However

Instead of "permitting" Michael to remove the tubeGreer ordered the tube removed