Brace yourself, New Jersey—your state won’t become a tragic pitstop for end-of-life decisions anytime soon.
The Daily Caller reported that on Thursday, the Third Circuit appeals court slammed the door on assisted-suicide activists aiming to make the Garden State a go-to spot for non-residents seeking doctor-aided death.
This isn’t just a courtroom ruling; it’s a bulwark against the chilling trend critics call “death tourism.”
The battle kicked off when Compassion & Choices, an advocacy group for assisted suicide, joined forces with New Jersey doctor Paul Bryman to challenge the state’s residency restriction.
They wanted to fling open the gates for out-of-staters to access Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) services.
But a district court first rejected their case, and now the appeals court has reinforced that decision with a resounding no.
Judge Stephanos Bibas laid out the reasoning plainly: “New Jersey has sound reasons to limit this grave choice to its own residents.”
He’s spot on—safeguarding vulnerable patients, protecting doctors from legal jeopardy, and steering clear of clashes with other states are not small potatoes.
This isn’t about lacking empathy; it’s about keeping a decision this heavy from becoming a casual cross-border errand.
Judge Bibas doubled down, noting, “[Assisted suicide] does not appear to be a fundamental privilege, let alone a fundamental right, that states must accord visitors.”
In other words, New Jersey isn’t required to accommodate every out-of-state request, no matter how much certain activists push a boundary-free agenda.
This ruling underscores a core conservative value: states should have the freedom to set their own serious policies without outside overreach.
New Jersey stands with eight other states, plus Washington, D.C., in allowing MAID for qualifying residents, while Delaware prepares to join the list in 2026.
Yet, neighbors like Pennsylvania and New York still outlaw the practice, which critics warn could turn New Jersey into a dangerous magnet if residency rules were dropped.
Compassion & Choices has notched victories in Oregon and Vermont by overturning similar restrictions, but New Jersey’s resolve holds—for now.
