Puzzles of the Liminal Dead: St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v Casey

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dc.check.date2026-02-08en
dc.check.infoAccess to this article is restricted until 24 months after publication by request of the publisheren
dc.contributor.authorDonnelly, Maryen
dc.contributor.authorLyons, Barryen
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-20T14:56:16Z
dc.date.available2025-01-20T14:56:16Z
dc.date.issued2024-02-08en
dc.description.abstractSt George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v Casey is the latest in a growing line of cases before the UK courts concerning objections to the determination of brain stem death (BD). The case is distinguishable from most of the earlier jurisprudence because it concerned an adult and, in this respect, it provides helpful clarity regarding the procedural framework to be applied in such situations. However, as we will see below, in other respects the case serves to increase confusion. One particular problem that arises from the judgment in Casey is how we conceptualise the legal status of an individual who has been found to be brain dead by clinicians, but this finding is disputed by families, either in respect of procedure or substance, and the courts have been asked to rule on the matter. The case also raises new questions about the operationalization of testing for BD, which questions assume particular significance given the ongoing work to revise the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ Code of Practice for the Diagnosis and Confirmation of Death (2008) (hereafter ‘the Code’). This commentary will explore both of these aspects of the case. First, however, we outline the facts and identify those areas in which the legal position has been clarified.en
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationDonnelly, M. and Lyons, B. (2024) 'Puzzles of the Liminal Dead: St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v Casey', Medical Law Review, 32(1), pp. 111–119. https://doi.org/10.1093/medlaw/fwae001en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1093/medlaw/fwae001en
dc.identifier.eissn1464-3790en
dc.identifier.endpage119en
dc.identifier.issn0967-0742en
dc.identifier.issued1en
dc.identifier.journaltitleMedical Law Reviewen
dc.identifier.startpage111en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/16850
dc.identifier.volume32en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherOxford University Pressen
dc.relation.ispartofMedical Law Reviewen
dc.rights© 2024, the Authors. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Medical Law Review following peer review. The version of record Medical Law Review, 32(1), pp. 111–119] is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/medlaw/fwae001en
dc.subjectSt George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v Caseyen
dc.subjectBrain stem death (BD)en
dc.subjectAcademy of Medical Royal Colleges’ Code of Practice for the Diagnosis and Confirmation of Death (2008)en
dc.titlePuzzles of the Liminal Dead: St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v Caseyen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)en
oaire.citation.issue1en
oaire.citation.volume32en
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