Terri's Law

Terri’s Law was enacted in 2003 in Florida following the case of Terri Schiavo, a woman in a persistent vegetative state. The law allowed the Florida Legislature to intervene in her case and override a court’s decision regarding her medical treatment, specifically to reinsert her feeding tube. This sparked nationwide debates about medical ethics, the right to die, and the role of government in personal health decisions. Ultimately, Terri’s Law was deemed unconstitutional, but it highlighted conflicts between personal rights, family wishes, and state authority in end-of-life care.