Texas Revocation of Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates

A person can also revoke their Advance Directive orally, by telling their healthcare provider that they no longer want either the entire document or any parts of it enforced.

The law requires that you sign your advance directive, or direct another to sign it, in the presence of two adult witnesses, who must also sign the document.

Some states combine a declaration and a durable power of attorney into a single form, called an "advance health care directive."If someone disputes the validity of your health care directive, it may be challenged in court.

Overview: In Texas you must fill out two separate forms to have a complete Advance Directive: A Living Will called a "Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates" and a "Medical Power of Attorney" (a.k.a. Health Care Proxy).

Note: Texas law now allows an option for a person's signature to be acknowledged by a notary instead of witness signatures and for digital or electronic signatures on the Directive to Physicians, Out-of-Hospital Do Not Resuscitate Order, and the Medical Power of Attorney, if certain requirements are met.

An advance directive, alone, may not be sufficient to stop all forms of life-saving treatment.You retain the right to override the decisions or your representative, change the terms of your living will or POA, or completely revoke an advance directive.

In most cases, your health care documents will be honored in other states.Most states accept health care directives from other states as long as the documents are legally valid in the state where they were made -- but this is not always the case.

Advance Directives have an expiration date.Advance Directives do not expire, but can be invalidated if you create new Advance Directives. It is wise to review your Advance Directives periodically to be sure they still reflect your wishes.

Advance care directives are legally enforceable in NSW. Although NSW does not have specific legislation on advance care directives, the Supreme Court has said that valid advance care directives must be respected (as an extension to a person's right to determine their own medical treatment).