>>First, unless a person has a full written or video taped Living Will clearly stating their wishes in cases like this, no actions should be taken to end their life.
>>Second, if the spouse has moved on with their life, if they are living in adultery and/or has become engaged to another or has produced children from a relationship AFTER their legal spouse is incapacitated, they should be stripped of any and all say in the care and custody of their spouse. The only exception I can see to this is if a person makes it clear in a living will that they are acceptalbe of their spouse moving on with their lives if they were to become incapacitate and can not speak for themselves.
>>Third, if there is any conflict of interest, i.e. the lawyer(s) giving to a judge's reelection campaign, if the judge/lawyers are in anyway financially connected to the facility the person is housed in, they must recuse themselves from the case.
>>And finally, the law needs to be written so that a completely independent Guardian Ad Litem should be appointed to the person to assure their rights are being upheld.
>>I'm sure others can think of more changes that need to be made.<<
This is great.
I can think of more changes, too, and they can start with disagreeing with you on most of your propositions.
First, a written or a videotaped living will is more likely a death warrant once you become incapacitated. Anyone who faces their last moments with their reason clouded by pain killing drugs has forgone the opportunity to make peace with God in full consciousness and with resolute preparation.
Second, marriage is for life, divorce is a crime against God, and a convalescing spouse is God's manifest will that the other must therefore live a life of chastity until such time as God sees fit to take the weak one away. It's not up to us. It's not even up to the decision of the infirm spouse. It's up to God.
Third, well, yours sounds pretty good.
Fourth, this court-appointed guardian ad litem sounds to me like an opportunity for lawyers to make a rake on everyone who is allowed to live. Imagine the paperwork for hospitals, that everyone admitted must have a GAL document notarized first. What would emergency rooms do in a crisis? Good for the economy? Creates jobs? Maybe its time for China to invade us and put us out of our bureaucratic misery.