New Jersey’s Aid-in-Dying Law Challenge Takes Standing Focus

A constitutional challenge to a New Jersey law allowing aid-in-dying care only for residents of the state could turn instead on the plaintiffs’ standing to sue after a panel of federal appeals court judges steered oral arguments in that direction Wednesday.

In their briefs, patient Judith Govatos and physician Paul Bryman focused on whether a federal trial court improperly dismissed their suit after considering facts outside the pleadings, which violates federal rules. The state instead urged the court to decide the constitutional questions on the merits.

New Jersey is one of about 11 states and Washington, D.C., that have aid-in ...