Christian doctors ask court to halt CA law that forces participation in assisted suicide

WHO: Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys

WHAT: Available for media interviews following oral arguments in Christian Medical & Dental Associations v. Bonta

WHEN: Immediately following hearing, which begins at 10 a.m. PDT, Friday, July 8

WHERE: First Street Courthouse, 350 W. 1st St., Courtroom 6B, 6th floor, Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing a Christian physician and the Christian Medical & Dental Associations will be available for media interviews Friday following a federal district court hearing in their lawsuit against state officials. The physicians are asking the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to halt enforcement, while their lawsuit proceeds, of a state law that requires doctors to participate in physician-assisted suicide against their religious convictions and professional ethics.

“Our clients seek to give their patients the best possible healing care, including comfort and dignity, until natural death occurs,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot, who will be arguing before the court. “The Christian physicians we represent have personal religious convictions and professional ethics that oppose the practice of assisted suicide, and it’s illegal for the state of California to force these doctors to participate in this practice. We urge the court to stop this irreparable harm while our lawsuit moves forward.”

As the lawsuit ADF attorneys filed in February explains, California legalized physician-assisted suicide in 2015 with its passage of the controversial End of Life Options Act. Then, despite the medical-ethics consensus that no physician should be forced to participate in physician-assisted suicide even where the practice is allowed, California legislated to not only eliminate important safeguards from the End of Life Options Act, but also force conscientious physicians to participate in the process.

CMDA is a national association of conscientious Christian health care professionals whose personal religious convictions and professional ethics oppose the practice of assisted suicide. Dr. Leslee Cochrane, a member of CMDA, is a California-licensed physician who joined the lawsuit.

Catherine Short of Life Legal Defense Foundation, one of more than 4,400 attorneys in the ADF Attorney Network, is serving as local counsel in the case.

• Pronunciation guide: Theriot (TAIR’-ee-oh)

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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