An Ohio living will is a document that outlines the principal’s health care preferences in the event that they become incapable of making their own informed decisions. A living will only becomes effective once the physician attending to the principal determines that they are terminally ill or in a permanently unconscious state. Subsequent to this determination, the physician will reference the living will to decide whether to withhold or administer life-sustaining treatments.

Commonly accompanied by a living will is a Medical Power of Attorney, which appoints a health care agent to communicate with health care provider’s on the principal’s behalf; together these forms create an Ohio Advance Directive.

Laws – Title 21, Chapter 2133 (Modified Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act and the DNR Identification and Do-Not-Resuscitate Order Law)

Signing Requirements (§ 2133.02(B)) – Two (2) Witnesses or Notary Public

Statutory Form – § 2133.07

State Definition

Statute – § 2133.01(F)

“Declaration” means a written document executed in accordance with section 2133.02 of the Revised Code.