District of Columbia · Through 2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)

D.C. Code § 21-2221.12: Penalties.

(a)
A person who, without authorization by the patient or the patient's authorized representative, willfully alters, forges, conceals, or destroys a MOST Form, an amendment or revocation of a MOST Form, or any other evidence or document reflecting the patient's desires and interests, with the intent or effect of causing a withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures or of artificially administered nutrition and hydration that hastens the death of the patient commits a Class A felony.

(b)
Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, a person who, without authorization by the patient or the patient's authorized representative, willfully alters, forges, conceals, or destroys a MOST Form, an amendment or revocation of a MOST Form, or any other evidence or document reflecting the patient's desires and interests, with the intent or effect of impacting any decision regarding the provision of a health care service, treatment, or procedure shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or both.

Where this section sits in the code

Title 21. Fiduciary Relations and Persons with Mental Illness. [Enacted title]
Chapter 22. Health-Care Decisions.
Subchapter II. MOST Form.

(a)

A person who, without authorization by the patient or the patient's authorized representative, willfully alters, forges, conceals, or destroys a MOST Form, an amendment or revocation of a MOST Form, or any other evidence or document reflecting the patient's desires and interests, with the intent or effect of causing a withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures or of artificially administered nutrition and hydration that hastens the death of the patient commits a Class A felony.

(b)

Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, a person who, without authorization by the patient or the patient's authorized representative, willfully alters, forges, conceals, or destroys a MOST Form, an amendment or revocation of a MOST Form, or any other evidence or document reflecting the patient's desires and interests, with the intent or effect of impacting any decision regarding the provision of a health care service, treatment, or procedure shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or both.

Collected 2026-08-29T05:44:07Z. Source file · JSON

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