“Capacity” means a person’s ability to understand the nature and consequences of a decision and to make and communicate a decision, and includes in the case of proposed health care, the ability to understand its significant benefits, risks, and alternatives.
Cal. Prob. Code § 4609
Short Title and Definitions
Known as the Health Care Decisions Law
The act spans §§ 4600–4806 (113 sections).
Applied in 2 court decisions — leading case Cal. Advocates for Nursing Home Reform v. Smith (2019)
Most recently applied in Cal. Advocates for Nursing Home Reform v. Smith (July 2019)
Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 230, Sec. 3
Official source: California Legislative Information. Reproduced from public-domain California statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.