The growing body of ‘right to die’ case law illustrates the issue’s growing prominence

The legal position of those who wish to end their own lives with assistance from another person has been consistently ambiguous, with politicians unable to come to a unified position, and the courts reluctant to take the initiative. Claire Overman takes a look back over the legal system’s attempts to deal with the issue, observing that the amount of accumulated law now on the statute book reflects a growing public awareness of the issues at stake.