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Three terminally ill patients lost a court battle in California Friday over whether they should have the right to request and take lethal medication to hasten their deaths. San Diego Superior Court Judge Gregory Pollack said he would dismiss the case, adding that the issues were beyond his role as a judge to decide and should instead be put to the California state legislature or voters to establish new law. Plaintiffs vowed to appeal the ruling. (Dembosky, 7/24)

Christy O’Donnell may not get the death she had hoped for — one that right-to-die advocates say she deserves. A California judge on Friday indicated that he will likely dismiss her end-of-life lawsuit and said he would issue his decision Monday. "You’re asking this court to make new law,” San Diego Superior Court Judge Gregory Pollack said during a hearing Friday. "If new law is made it should be by the Legislature or by a ballot measure." (Ostrov, 7/27)

Susan Johnson was never afraid to talk about death. But whenever she tried to discuss her end-of-life wishes with her children, both in their 40s, they deflected the topic with jokes. And her primary care doctor never raised the issue. Then, a few years ago, a surgical complication left Johnson hospitalized for months. She felt death close by, and it scared her. When she recovered and returned home to Salem, N.H., she invited her son and daughter for an Italian dinner, followed by a mandatory conversation — one with no jokes allowed. (Freyer, 7/27)