Wills & Estates

Living Will

Written instructions about life-prolonging treatment, without appointing an agent.

What you get

  • An editable Word document, drafted from your answers and the state's official text.
  • A proof of sources: every citation in the draft with the words it quotes, the official source, the date the text was saved and its fingerprint.
  • Notes for counsel listing each point marked [VERIFY], each blank and each choice left for the client.

What the intake asks

Plain questions, in the order an attorney would take the facts. Anything left blank stays a marked blank in the draft; nothing is invented to fill it.

The declarant

  • Declarant's full name
  • Address and date of birth

Instructions

  • If the declarant has a terminal condition
  • If permanently unconscious (persistent vegetative state)
  • If in an end-stage condition
  • Artificial nutrition and hydration in those conditions
  • Pain relief and comfort care
  • Specific treatments
  • If the declarant is pregnant
  • and 5 more

Signing

  • How will it be signed
  • Witnesses, if known
  • Other instructions or open decisions

Where it is offered

Every state Lawsmith has official sources for:

Official sources on file

The drafter works from the texts Lawsmith has saved for this document in the state you choose, plus federal law where it applies. Each is read from the official publisher and dated.

StateSources for this document
California24
Connecticut24
Delaware25
District of Columbia21
Florida24
Maryland23
Massachusetts22
New Jersey37
New York27
Ohio21
Pennsylvania28
Texas27
Virginia25

Among them, for New Jersey:

  • N.J.S.A. 26:2H-55 Definitions.
  • N.J.S.A. 26:2H-56 Advance directive for health care; execution
  • N.J.S.A. 26:2H-57 Proxy, instruction directive; reaffirmed, modified, revoked.
  • N.J.S.A. 26:2H-58 Designation of health care representative; limitations.
  • N.J.S.A. 26:2H-59 Conditions under which advance directive becomes operative

How the draft is checked

Before it writes, the drafter must quote the official text behind each citation. Lawsmith compares every quotation with the text on file, character for character; a citation with no checked quotation reaches you marked [VERIFY]. The draft still needs your review before it is signed, filed or sent. How citations are checked

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