Which document must be witnessed by two unrelated adults to be valid?

A living will is a legal document that outlines a person's wishes regarding medical treatment in scenarios where they might be unable to communicate their preferences, particularly concerning end-of-life care. In many jurisdictions, a living will must be executed with specific formalities to ensure its validity, which often includes the requirement that it be signed in the presence of witnesses. These witnesses must typically be unrelated adults, meaning they cannot be family members or beneficiaries of the document. This stipulation helps to prevent any potential conflicts of interest or undue influence on the individual’s wishes regarding their medical care.

While documents like a durable power of attorney and an advance directive may also have witnessing requirements, the specifics can vary by state and might not always mandate two unrelated witnesses. Patient consent forms are typically signed directly by patients and do not usually require witnesses, as they serve to document informed consent for treatment rather than outline end-of-life care wishes.