Pennsylvania § 5432 Criminal penalties

Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 5432 — Criminal penalties

Pennsylvania § 5432

Title 20DECEDENTS, ESTATES AND FIDUCIARIES

Ch. 54HEALTH CARE

Subch.GENERAL PROVISIONS

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Bluebook

20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5432 (2026).

Text

(a)Criminal homicide.--A person shall be subject to prosecution for criminal homicide as provided in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 25 (relating to criminal homicide) if the person intends to cause the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment contrary to the wishes of the principal or patient and, because of that action, directly causes life-sustaining treatment to be withheld or withdrawn and death to be hastened and:

(1)falsifies or forges the advance health care directive, order, bracelet or necklace of that principal or patient; or

(2)willfully conceals or withholds personal knowledge of a revocation of an advance health care directive or DNR status.

(b)Interference with health care directive.--A person commits a felony of the third degree if that person willfully:

(1)conceals,

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(a) Criminal homicide.--A person shall be subject to prosecution for criminal homicide as provided in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 25 (relating to criminal homicide) if the person intends to cause the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment contrary to the wishes of the principal or patient and, because of that action, directly causes life-sustaining treatment to be withheld or withdrawn and death to be hastened and:

(1) falsifies or forges the advance health care directive, order, bracelet or necklace of that principal or patient; or

(2) willfully conceals or withholds personal knowledge of a revocation of an advance health care directive or DNR status.

(b) Interference with health care directive.--A person commits a felony of the third degree if that person willfully:

(1) conceals, cancels, alters, defaces, obliterates or damages an advance health care directive, order, bracelet or necklace without the consent of the principal or patient;

(2) causes a person to execute an advance health care directive or order or wear a bracelet or necklace by undue influence, fraud or duress; or

(3) falsifies or forges an advance health care directive, order, bracelet or necklace or any amendment or revocation thereof, the result of which is a direct change in the health care provided to the principal or patient.