IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

Case No. DA 09-0051

STATE OF MONTANA, et al. Appellants,

vs. ROBERT BAXTER, et al., Appellees.

On Appeal from the Montana First Judicial District Court, Lewis and Clark County The Honorable Dorothy McCarter, Presiding

BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PRO-LIFE OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS, CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, DR. DONALD BERDEAUX, DR. RICHARD D. BLEVINS, DR. PAUL L. GORUSCH, JR., DR. KIRSTEN L. MORISSETTE, DR. CARLEY C. ROBERTSON, DR. D. PERRIN ROTEN, JR., DR. RONALD P. SKIPPER, DR. STEPHEN R. SHAUB, DR. CRAIG TREPTOW, DR. JAMES THREATT, DR. THOMAS A. WARR, and MS. BROOKE E. CANTU, IN SUPPORT OF APPELLANTS

Legalizing assisted suicide would have drastic public policy implications. The question whether some citizens (doctors) should be allowed to kill other citizens (patients) is a decision with profound ramifications for the safety and wellbeing of the whole community, not least its most vulnerable members. Interpreting the Montana Constitution's protections of dignity and privacy to require legalization of assisted suicide threatens rather than protects the individual dignity of vulnerable patients. Therefore, this Court should reverse the district court and hold that the Montana Constitution does not require the legalization of assisted suicide.