Opinion ID: 876934
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: swanson's participation in past sterilizations

Text: The second issue we discuss is whether Marjorie Swanson is precluded from refusing to participate in sterilization procedures by reason of her past participation in such procedures. The hospital argues that because she had participated in the past, her refusal on August 22, 1977 to participate further demonstrated she had flexible religious principles and scruples. Because we are interpreting this statute for the first time and as far as we can determine, no other court has interpreted such a statute, we have no guidelines by way of legal precedent on this argument. Former section 69-5223 makes no differentiation with respect to the right of refusal and it is unlawful to interfere or attempt to interfere with the right of the refusal authorized by the section. Given the propensity of the human conscience to define its own boundaries and the fact that such boundaries might be widened or limited by experience, it seems natural that a person's concept of the propriety or morality of a procedure or situation might change from time to time. The right given by the statute is unqualified, irrespective of past participation.