Court expedites hearing, schedules oral arguments for October 26
SANTA FE, NM—Today, the New Mexico State Supreme Court announced that it granted certiorari in Morris v. New Mexico, the case seeking the right for terminally ill, mentally competent patients to seek physician aid in dying. The court is expediting the hearing to October 26th at 9:00 AM, when it will hear oral arguments on the constitutionality of prohibiting aid in dying.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico and the Disability Legal Rights Center (DLRC) represent plaintiffs in the case, Dr. Katherine Morris and Dr. Aroop Mangalik, Oncologists practicing in Albuquerque, NM, and Aja Riggs, a cancer patient currently living in Santa Fe, NM.
“We appreciate the opportunity to address this urgent, important issue as soon as possible,” said ACLU-NM cooperating attorney Laura Schauer Ives. “It is our hope that the New Mexico Supreme Court will uphold the district court’s original ruling that physician aid in dying is a fundamental right for terminally ill, mentally competent patients. Many terminally ill New Mexicans are watching this case closely, anxiously awaiting to see whether they will be able to choose a peaceful death if their suffering becomes unbearable.”
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