{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-estates-and-trusts-13-711","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Estates and Trusts § 13–711","heading":"","body":"(a) In this Part III of this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.\n(b) “Best interest” means that the benefits to the disabled person resulting from a treatment outweigh the burdens to the disabled person resulting from that treatment, taking into account:\n(1) The effect of the treatment on the physical, emotional, and cognitive functions of the disabled person;\n(2) The degree of physical pain or discomfort caused to the disabled person by the treatment, or the withholding or withdrawal of the treatment;\n(3) The degree to which the disabled person’s medical condition, the treatment, or the withholding or withdrawal of treatment results in a severe and continuing impairment of the dignity of the disabled person by subjecting the individual to a condition of extreme humiliation and dependency;\n(4) The effect of the treatment on the life expectancy of the disabled person;\n(5) The prognosis of the disabled person for recovery, with and without the treatment;\n(6) The risks, side effects, and benefits of the treatment or the withholding or withdrawal of the treatment; and\n(7) The religious beliefs and basic values of the disabled person receiving treatment, to the extent these may assist the decision maker in determining best interest.\n(c) “Life-sustaining procedure” means any medical procedure, treatment, or intervention used to sustain, restore, supplement, or supplant a spontaneous vital function in order to prevent or postpone the death of a disabled person.\n(d) “Substituted judgment” means a determination by a court that a disabled person would, if competent, make the same health care decision regarding a life-sustaining procedure taking into account any information that may be relevant to the decision, including:\n(1) The current diagnosis, prognosis with and without the life-sustaining procedure, and life expectancy of the disabled person;\n(2) Any expressed preferences of the disabled person regarding the provision of, or the withholding or withdrawal of, the life-sustaining procedure at issue;\n(3) Any expressed preferences of the disabled person about the provision of, or the withholding or withdrawal of, life-sustaining procedures generally;\n(4) Any religious or moral beliefs or personal values of the disabled person in relation to the provision of, or the withholding or withdrawal of, life-sustaining procedures;\n(5) Any behavioral or other manifestations of the attitude of the disabled person toward the provision of, or the withholding or withdrawal of, the life-sustaining procedure;\n(6) Any consistent pattern of conduct by the disabled person regarding prior decisions about health care;\n(7) Any reactions of the disabled person to the provision of, or the withholding or withdrawal of, a comparable life-sustaining procedure for another individual; and\n(8) Any expressed concerns of the disabled person about the effect on the family or intimate friends of the disabled person if a life-sustaining procedure were provided, withheld, or withdrawn.","path":["Article - Estates and Trusts"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=get\u0026section=13-711","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:58:07Z","sha256":"6e8fc60ea39d79c2a2768a9fb7d5c66c8eebedd0c4b5ea33735b7221807aa9e1","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-estates-and-trusts-13-710","next":"us-md/md.-code-estates-and-trusts-13-712"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}