Opinion ID: 1889433
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: analysis

Text: B.I. argues that, as a parent, she has the right to determine whether, and in what manner, K.I. should be resuscitated, and thus, the court erred by applying the best interests of the child instead of the substituted judgment standard in deciding whether to issue the DNR. She also maintains that the court based its judgment upon the preponderance of the evidence, the standard governing neglect proceedings, rather than clear and convincing evidence. K.I.'s guardian ad litem argues that (1) under the concept of parens patriae, the trial court had authority to issue the DNR; (2) the court properly used the best interests of the child standard in this neglect case without infringing on the rights of the parents; and (3) the appropriate clear and convincing standard was applied and the evidence was sufficient to support the court's judgment. D.M. asserts that the DNR should be upheld but with reservation of parental rights of determination vested in the father, with the Court as arbiter only of parental differences of opinion and with the suggested ethics committee guidelines and mechanisms. K.I.'s medical guardian ad litem suggests that the trial court (1) had jurisdiction to enter the DNR under D.C.Code § 16-2320(5), see infra, and under its authority to order physical and mental examinations pursuant to § 16-2315; (2) properly adopted the clear and convincing evidentiary standard; and (3) did not err in concluding that the evidence was sufficient to support the issuance of the DNR. [3] Finally, the amici curiae, consisting of the Hospital for Sick Children where K.I. receives medical care, the Medical Society of the District of Columbia, the American Medical Association (through its State Medical Society Litigation Center), two professors of law from the Georgetown University Law Center, and the Metropolitan Washington Bioethics Network, also support the DNR because the best interest of [K.I.] is served by the establishment of a reasonable plan of medical care which is premised on the very limited benefits available to [K.I.] from medical science. [4] We review the trial court's legal determinations de novo and accept its findings of fact unless they are clearly erroneous. In re J.D.W., 711 A.2d 826, 830 (D.C.1998) (citations omitted); D.C.Code § 17-305(a) (1997) (When the case was tried without a jury, the court may review both as to the facts and the law, but the judgment may not be set aside except for errors of law unless it appears that the judgment is plainly wrong or without evidence to support it.).