Federal Appeals Court Upholds New Jersey's Assisted Suicide Residency Requirement

Thu Dec 11 2025 00:30:16 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A recent ruling affirms that only New Jersey residents may access physician-assisted suicide under state law, igniting further discussions on end-of-life policies across the U.S.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld New Jersey's law allowing terminally ill residents to seek life-ending medication, rejecting challenges to the state's residency requirement. This ruling emphasizes the complex nature of end-of-life choices and the differing regulations across states. While New Jersey, D.C., and ten other states permit assisted suicide, options are restricted mainly to residents, with only Oregon and Vermont offering provisions for non-residents. The case spotlights the emotional landscape surrounding assisted death, marking a significant moment in the legal discourse on the matter.

A New Jersey law that permits terminally ill people to seek life-ending drugs applies only to residents of the state and not individuals from beyond its borders, a federal appeals court ruled.

The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments challenging New Jersey's residency requirement while acknowledging the difficulty surrounding end-of-life decisions. The court noted that not all states have adopted the same approach towards assisted suicide.

Death brings good things to an end, but rarely neatly, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Stephanos Bibas stated in the opinion. Many terminally ill patients face a grim reality: imminent, painful death. Some may want to avert that suffering by enlisting a doctor's help to end their lives. New Jersey lets its residents make that choice - but only its residents.

Currently, New Jersey, D.C., and ten other states permit assisted suicide in terminal cases, with the majority restricting this option to residents only. Oregon and Vermont allow it for all patients.

The case was initiated by a Delaware woman suffering from stage 4 lymphoma who desired access to doctor-assisted suicide but passed away prior to the appeal. Delaware is set to permit such practices starting January 1, further complicating discussions surrounding residency and assisted death.

A New Jersey physician involved in the lawsuit also contested the state law, which faced additional scrutiny from plaintiffs, including another ill woman who subsequently died before the case was heard.

Messages to attorneys for the challengers seeking comment were unanswered. The legislation was signed by New Jersey's Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in 2019, who indicated his personal beliefs were not a reason to deny choices to others in dire situations.

The law stipulates that two doctors must authorize the request, requiring the patient to be an adult resident of New Jersey with a terminal condition confirmed to persist for six months or less. Moreover, the patient must reaffirm their wish to die and their decision must be documented with two witnesses.

Ultimately, the appeals court concluded that assisted suicide is not a fundamental privilege that states must offer to non-residents, reinforcing states' rights to tailor their own policies on this critical issue.