Michigan Supreme Court Invites Amicus Briefs From Elder Law & Disability Law Organizations
The Michigan Supreme Court recently invited amicus briefing by Elder Law attorneys and Disability Rights attorneys, in advance of oral argument in an interesting case involving a nursing home resident’s claims of false imprisonment by the facility. The legal question of what is sometimes referred to as an “involuntary” admission for care initiated by family members or concerned others acting as “agents” for an unhappy or uncooperative principal, is important and challenging, especially if accompanied by conflicting assessments of mental capacity.
Following the Michigan Court of Appeals’ 2014 ruling in Estate of Roush v. Laurels of Carson City LLC, in September 2015 the Michigan Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments on whether there are genuine issues of material fact on the resident’s claim of falsely imprisonment for a period of approximately two weeks. Ms. Roush alleges the nursing home acted improperly in reliance on her “patient advocate,” claiming that she was fully able to make health care decisions for herself, and therefore there were no legally valid grounds for her advocate to trump her wishes. Alternatively, Ms. Roush argued she validly terminated the patient advocate’s authority.
In Michigan, individuals may appoint a statutorily-designated “patient advocate,” with limited authority as an agent for certain health care decisions. Michigan law provides at M.C.L.A. Section 700.5506 that: “The [written] patient advocate designation must include a statement that the authority conferred under this section is exercisable only when the patient is unable to participate in medical or mental health treatment decisions….”
The Supreme Court’s order identified specific issues for additional briefing by the parties. Further, the court expressly invited the “Elder Law and Disability Rights Section of the State Bar of Michigan. . . to file a brief amicus curiae. Other persons or groups interested in determination of the issues presented in this case may move the Court for permission to file briefs amicus curiae.”