In re Martin (Martin v. Martin), 450 MICH 204 (1995): Brief Amici Curiae of The Michigan Handicapper Caucus and The Ethics and Advocacy Task Force of The Nursing Home Action Group in Support of Appellants Leeta Martin and Patricia Major

This brief was authored in the mid-1990s amidst the high-profile legal battle of In re Martin, a landmark Michigan Supreme Court case concerning the right to terminate life-sustaining medical treatment for an incompetent patient. The litigation centered on the husband of Mary Martin, who sought to remove her feeding tube after she sustained severe brain injuries, a move contested by her mother and sister. The case became a focal point for debates regarding patient autonomy, guardianship, and the ethics of end-of-life care in the state.

The brief represents a niche but critical intersection of disability advocacy and legal scholarship, filed by the Michigan Handicapper Caucus and the Ethics and Advocacy Task Force of the Nursing Home Action Group. These organizations positioned their arguments to protect the rights of vulnerable populations, asserting that the removal of artificial nutrition and hydration constituted a dangerous precedent. The document functions as a primary source for understanding the organized opposition to judicial authorization of withdrawing life support during the era, reflecting the complex interplay between legal interpretation and civil rights advocacy for the disabled.