2012 Missouri Revised Statutes
TITLE XXXI TRUSTS AND ESTATES OF DECEDENTS AND PERSONS UNDER DISABILITY
Chapter 459 Declarations, Life Support
Section 459.045 Unprofessional conduct by physician, when--inheritance rights forfeited, when--destroying or forging declaration--penalties.
Unprofessional conduct by physician, when--inheritance rights forfeited, when--destroying or forging declaration--penalties.
459.045. 1. It shall constitute unprofessional conduct if a physician or other licensed health care professional or facility with actual knowledge of a declaration acts, when the declarant is in a terminal condition and unable to make treatment decisions, contrary to the expressed intention of the declarant, as stated in his declaration, without serious reason therefor consistent with the best interest of the declarant.
2. Any person with actual knowledge of a declaration who acts, when the declarant is in a terminal condition and unable to make treatment decisions, contrary to the expressed intention of the patient as stated in his declaration, without serious reason therefor consistent with the best interests of the patient, shall lose such rights of inheritance to the extent such loss is provided for by the patient's last will and testament.
3. Any person who willfully conceals, cancels, defaces, obliterates or destroys the declaration of another without such declarant's consent or who falsifies or forges a revocation of the declaration of another shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
4. Any person who falsifies or forges the declaration of another, or who willfully conceals or withholds personal knowledge of the revocation of a declaration, with the purpose of causing withholding or withdrawal of medical procedures contrary to the wishes of the declarant, and thereby, because of such act, directly causes medical procedures to be withheld or withdrawn, causing death or causing death to be hastened, shall be guilty of a class B felony.
(L. 1985 S.B. 51 8)
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