Legal Definitions - Uniform Determination of Death Act

The Uniform Determination of Death Act is a model statute that was created in 1978 to provide a clear and comprehensive basis for determining death. The act defines death clinically and does not address issues related to suicide, assisted suicide, or the right to die. The act was revised in 1980 and has been adopted in almost all states.

When a person's heart stops beating and they stop breathing, they are considered clinically dead according to the Uniform Determination of Death Act. This act provides a clear definition of death that is used by medical professionals to determine when a person has died.

Another example of how the Uniform Determination of Death Act is used is when a person is declared brain dead. This means that their brain has stopped functioning and they are no longer able to breathe on their own. The act provides guidelines for determining brain death, which is considered to be a form of death under the law.