The Schiavo Maelstrom’s Potential Impact on the Law of End-of-Life Decision Making

Abstract More than 15 years elapsed between the date Theresa Marie Schiavo suffered a cardiac arrest, leaving her in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) because of brain damage, and the date she took her last breath. The conflict between her parents and her husband regarding her medical care lasted for more than 11 of those 15 years. The litigation over her care lasted for more than 6. It is difficult to keep track of the multiple court cases filed in Schiavo, let alone to pinpoint the highlights of their many twists and turns. It is possible, however, to trace the way Schiavo developed by examining the statutes and cases governing end-of-life decision making in Florida. In addition, it may be possible to predict how Schiavo will affect the law of end-of-life decision making, both in Florida and nationally or even internationally. Schiavo’s lingering effects will be bitter and may leave important rights of self-determination and privacy battered, much as hurricanes ripping through Florida leave her shores.